The Effect of Adult Diabetes on Glucose Utilization and Esterification of Palmitate by Human Adipose Tissue

Abstract. 1. The conversion of glucose and palmitate to neutral lipid by adipose tissue has been studied in a group of 30 adult diabetics and compared to a group of 30 non-diabetic controls. — 2. Adipose tissue from both sources showed similar saturation characteristics for glucose; uptake of palmitate was linear up to 3 mM. — 3. Adipose tissue of diabetics incubated with glucose (14 mM) converted 270 ± 60 (90) mμmoles/mg protein/2 hours to neutral lipid compared to non-diabetics who converted 380 ±70 (10) mμmoles/mg protein/2 hours. Similar results were obtained with a medium glucose concentration of 8 mM. No differences were found in glucose utilization between a group of 7 lean diabetics and 6 obese diabetics. — 4. Conversion of palmitate to neutral lipid by adipose tissue was inhibited by cyanide (1.5 mM), fluoride (50 mM) and was found to be temperature dependent. — 5. Adult diabetics converted 0.36 ± 0.06 (17) mμmoles palmitate/mg protein/2 hours into neutral lipid, compared to a group of non-diabetics who converted 1.09 ± 0.35 (13) mμmoles/mg protein/2 hours.— 6. The significance of these observations is discussed in relation to the impaired glucose tolerance test of diabetes.