To evaluate the physiological functions of β1-, β2-, and β3-adrenoceptors (ARs) in brown adipose tissue, the lipolytic and respiratory effects of various adrenergic agonists and antagonists were studied in rat brown adipocytes. The β-agonists stimulated both lipolysis and respiration (8–10 times above basal levels), with the following order of potency (concentration eliciting 50% of maximum response): CL-316243 (β3) > BRL-37344 (β3) > isoproterenol (mainly β1/β2) > norepinephrine (NE; mainly β1/β2) > epinephrine (mainly β1/β2) ≫ dobutamine (β1) ≫ procaterol (β2). Schild plot coefficients of competitive inhibition experiments using ICI-89406 (β1 antagonist) revealed that more than one type of receptor mediates NE action. It is concluded from our results that 1) NE, at low plasma levels (1–25 nM), stimulates lipolysis and respiration mainly through β1-ARs, 2) NE, at higher levels, stimulates lipolysis and respiration via both β1- and β3-ARs, 3) β2-ARs play only a minor role, and 4) β3-ARs may represent the physiological receptors for the high NE concentrations in the synaptic cleft, where the high-affinity β1-ARs are presumably desensitized. It is also suggested that lipolysis represents the flux-generating step regulating mitochondrial respiration.

Atherosclerosis is driven by the accumulation of immune cells and cholesterol in the arterial wall. Although recent studies have shown that lymphatic vessels play an important role in macrophage reverse cholesterol transport, the specific underlying mechanisms of this physiological feature remain unknown. In the current report, we sought to better characterize the lymphatic dysfunction that is associated with atherosclerosis by studying the physiological and temporal origins of this impairment. First, we assessed that athero-protected Pcsk9−/− mice exhibited improved collecting lymphatic vessel function throughout age when compared to WT mice for up to six months, while displaying enhanced expression of LDLR on lymphatic endothelial cells. Lymphatic dysfunction was present before the atherosclerotic lesion formation in a mouse model that is predisposed to develop atherosclerosis (Ldlr−/−; hApoB100+/+). This dysfunction was presumably associated with a defect in the collecting lymphatic vessels in a non-specific cholesterol- but LDLR-dependent manner. Treatment with a selective VEGFR-3 agonist rescued this impairment observed early in the onset of this arterial disease. We suggest that LDLR modulation is associated with early atherosclerosis-related lymphatic dysfunction, and bring forth a pleiotropic role for PCSK9 in lymphatic function. Our study unveils new potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

1 The binding properties of PI-, 2-and P3-adrenoceptors were determined in isolated brown adipocytes of the rat rather than in membrane preparations from tissue homogenates, because typical brown adipocytes represent only about 40% of the various cells present in brown adipose tissue. Binding characteristics were assessed with the hydrophilic P-adrenoceptor radioligand, (-)-[3H]-CGP 12177. The potent a-antagonist, bupranolol (100 gM) was used to determine nonspecific binding. Characterization was essentially performed by saturation and competition studies.2 The saturation curve of (-)-[3H]-CGP 12177 was clearly biphasic (Hill coefficient, nH = 0.57 ± 0.11, P<0.01) indicating the presence of two different P-adrenoceptor populations of high (KD = 0.24 ± 0.04 nM) and low (KD = 80 ± 7 nM) affinity. The low affinity sites were more numerous (B[, = 121 000 + 30 000 sites/cell) than the high affinity sites (B,,, = 12 000 ± 1 000 sites/cell). 6 From these observations, we conclude that: (1) two kinds of binding sites with low and high affinities for (-)-[H]-CGP 12177 can be detected in intact brown adipocytes, (2) there are 10 times more low than high affinity P-adrenoceptors, as determined by saturation or competition curve analysis, (3) the high affinity binding sites mainly correspond to P1-adrenoceptors, whereas the low affinity sites represent P3-adrenoceptors, and (4) P2-adrenoceptors are undetectable. 7 It is suggested that the low affinity P3-adrenoceptors represent the physiological receptors for noradrenaline secreted from sympathetic nerve endings when the concentration of the neurohormone in the synaptic cleft is very high and/or when the high affinity PI-adrenoceptors are desensitized by prolonged sympathetic stimulation such as chronic cold exposure.

BackgroundSubcutaneously injected lipid‐free apoA‐I (apolipoprotein A‐I) reduces accumulation of lipid and immune cells within the aortic root of hypercholesterolemic mice without increasing high‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol concentrations. Lymphatic vessels are now recognized as prerequisite players in the modulation of cholesterol removal from the artery wall in experimental conditions of plaque regression, and particular attention has been brought to the role of the collecting lymphatic vessels in early atherosclerosis‐related lymphatic dysfunction. In the present study, we address whether and how preservation of collecting lymphatic function contributes to the protective effect of apoA‐I.Methods and ResultsAtherosclerotic Ldlr −/− mice treated with low‐dose lipid‐free apoA‐I showed enhanced lymphatic transport and abrogated collecting lymphatic vessel permeability in atherosclerotic Ldlr −/− mice when compared with albumin‐control mice. Treatment of human lymphatic endothelial cells with apoA‐I increased the adhesion of human platelets on lymphatic endothelial cells, in a bridge‐like manner, a mechanism that could strengthen endothelial cell–cell junctions and limit atherosclerosis‐associated collecting lymphatic vessel dysfunction. Experiments performed with blood platelets isolated from apoA‐I‐treated Ldlr −/− mice revealed that apoA‐I decreased ex vivo platelet aggregation. This suggests that in vivo apoA‐I treatment limits platelet thrombotic potential in blood while maintaining the platelet activity needed to sustain adequate lymphatic function.ConclusionsAltogether, we bring forward a new pleiotropic role for apoA‐I in lymphatic function and unveil new potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

In the guinea pig, cold acclimation induced a conversion of unilocular to multilocular adipocytes in interscapular (IS) and retroperitoneal (RP) fat depots but not in the epididymal (EP) fat pad. The conversion was associated with an increase in mitochondriogenesis and the appearance of the uncoupling protein. The maximal lipolytic responses to norepinephrine and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate were decreased in IS cells, unchanged in RP cells, and increased in EP cells, suggesting a site-specific regulation of lipolysis at the postreceptor level. beta 3-Adrenergic agonists were not lipolytic regardless of the depot and the thermal environment of the animal. These agents did not inhibit glucose transport and lipogenesis, as was previously reported for rodents. Cloning and sequencing of the guinea pig beta 3-adrenoceptor gene revealed a slightly higher amino acid sequence similarity with the human than with the rodent beta 3-adrenoceptors. beta 3-Adrenoceptor transcripts were present at a very low level in guinea pig adipocytes, and mRNA levels did not increase to a significant extent after cold acclimation. The guinea pig thus differs from rodents by an absence of beta 3-adrenergic effects and by low beta 3-adrenoceptor expression in brown and white adipose tissues.