Effect of β1- and β2-adrenergic stimulation on energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, and UCP3 expression in humans

Abstract

In humans, β-adrenergic stimulation increases energy and fat metabolism. In the case of β1-adrenergic stimulation, it is fueled by an increased lipolysis. We examined the effect of β2-adrenergic stimulation, with and without a blocker of lipolysis, on thermogenesis and substrate oxidation. Furthermore, the effect of β1-and β2-adrenergic stimulation on uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) mRNA expression was studied. Nine lean males received a 3-h infusion of dobutamine (DOB, β1) or salbutamol (SAL, β2). Also, we combined SAL with acipimox to block lipolysis (SAL+ACI). Energy and substrate metabolism were measured continuously, blood was sampled every 30 min, and muscle biopsies were taken before and after infusion. Energy expenditure significantly increased ∼13% in all conditions. Fat oxidation increased 47 ± 7% in the DOB group and 19 ± 7% in the SAL group but remained unchanged in the SAL+ACI condition. Glucose oxidation decreased 40 ± 9% upon DOB, remained unchanged during SAL, and increased 27 ± 11% upon SAL+ACI. Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels were increased by SAL (57 ± 11%) and DOB (47 ± 16%), whereas SAL+ACI caused about fourfold lower FFA levels compared with basal levels. No change in UCP3 was found after DOB or SAL, whereas SAL+ACI downregulated skeletal muscle UCP3 mRNA levels 38 ± 13%. In conclusion, β2-adrenergic stimulation directly increased energy expenditure independently of plasma FFA levels. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate a downregulation of skeletal muscle UCP3 mRNA expression after the lowering of plasma FFA concentrations in humans, despite an increase in energy expenditure upon β2-adrenergic stimulation.