The metabolism and composition of skeletal muscle tissue is of special interest because it is a primary site of insulin action and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Intramyocellular (IMCL) triglyceride stores are an accessible form of energy that may decrease skeletal muscle glucose utilization, thereby contributing to impaired glucose metabolism. Because of the invasive nature of muscle biopsies, there is limited, if any, information about intramuscular lipid stores in children. The development of 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a unique noninvasive alternative method that differentiates intracellular fat from intercellular fat in muscle tissue. The present study was performed to determine whether IMCL and extramyocellular (EMCL) lipid contents are increased early in the development of juvenile obesity and to explore the relationships between IMCL and EMCL to in vivo insulin sensitivity, independently of total body fat and central adiposity in obese and nonobese adolescents. Eight nonobese (BMI 21 kg/m 2 , age 11-16 years) and 14 obese (BMI 35 ؎ 1.5 kg/m 2 , age 11-15 years) adolescents underwent 1) 1 H-NMR spectroscopy to noninvasively quantify IMCL and EMCL triglyceride content of the soleus muscle, 2) a 2-h euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (40 mU ⅐ m ؊2 ⅐ min ؊1 ) to assess insulin sensitivity, 3) a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan to measure total percent body fat, and 4) magnetic resonance imaging to measure abdominal fat distribution. Both the IMCL and EMCL content of the soleus muscle were significantly greater in the obese adolescents than in the lean control subjects. A strong inverse correlation was found between IMCL and insulin sensitivity, which persisted and became even stronger after controlling for percent total body fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat mass (partial correlation r ‫؍‬ ؊0.73, P < 0.01) but not when adjusting for visceral fat (r ‫؍‬ ؊0.54, P < 0.08). In obese adolescents, increase in total body fat and central adiposity were accompanied by higher IMCL and EMCL lipid stores. The striking relationships between both IMCL and EMCL with insulin sensitivity in childhood suggest that these findings are not a consequence of aging but occur early in the natural course of obesity. Diabetes

The absolute concentrations of glycerol and lactate were studied with microdialysis of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in normal-weight subjects. The basal interstitial glycerol concentration was 232 +/- 33, 96 +/- 8, and 59 +/- 6 mumol/l in fat, muscle, and arterialized plasma, respectively (P = 0.0002). This relationship was maintained during both euglycemic hyperinsulinemia, when glycerol decreased in all three compartments, and hypoglycemia, when glycerol first decreased and then increased in fat, muscle, and blood (P = 0.0001 for both). Basal interstitial lactate concentrations were similar in adipose tissue (1.1 +/- 0.2 mmol/l) and skeletal muscle (1.9 +/- 0.4 mmol/l) and higher than in arterialized blood (0.6 +/- 0.1 mmol/l, P = 0.002). During hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia, lactate increased (P = 0.0001) and the tissue-blood relationship was maintained (P = 0.04). In conclusion, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle mobilize glycerol and lactate at rest. Glycerol and lactate production are influenced by hyperinsulinemia and hypoglycemia in both tissues. Adipose tissue appears to be the major site of glycerol production, whereas skeletal muscle and fat may be equally important for lactate production.

Little is known about the regulation of catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis in human skeletal muscle. Therefore, β-adrenergic regulation of lipolysis and blood flow was investigated in healthy subjects in vivo by use of microdialysis of the gastrocnemius muscle. First, during a hypoglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp, which induces a lipolytic response in skeletal muscle tissue, the muscle was locally perfused with β-adrenoceptor blocking agents. Perfusion with nonselective (propranolol) and β2-selective (ICI-118551) blocking agents counteracted the hypoglycemia-induced lipolysis ( P < 0.01), but perfusion with metoprolol (β1-blocker) did not affect the glycerol response. Second, selective β-adrenoceptor agonists were perfused in situ into skeletal muscle during resting conditions. β2-Adrenoceptor stimulation with terbutaline induced a concentration-dependent increase in skeletal muscle glycerol levels and in tissue blood flow, whereas perfusion with β1- or β3-adrenoceptor agonists (dobutamine or CGP-12177) did not influence the glycerol concentration or blood flow. In conclusion, in skeletal muscle tissue, only the β2-subtype is of importance among β-adrenoceptors for regulation of lipolysis and blood flow. This is in contrast to adipose tissue, where β1- and β3-adrenoceptors are also involved.

The antilipolytic effect of insulin on human abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle during local inhibition of cAMP-phosphodiesterases (PDEs) was investigated in vivo, by combining microdialysis with a euglycaemic, hyperinsulinaemic clamp. During hyperinsulinaemia, the glycerol concentration decreased by 40% in fat and by 33% in muscle. Addition of the selective PDE3-inhibitor amrinone abolished the insulin-induced decrease in adipose glycerol concentration, but did not influence the glycerol concentration in skeletal muscle. Nor did the PDE4-selective inhibitor rolipram or the PDE5-selective inhibitor dipyridamole influence the insulin-induced decrease in muscle tissue glycerol. However, the non-selective PDE-inhibitor theophylline counteracted the antilipolytic action of insulin at both sites. The specific activity of PDEs was also determined in both tissues. PDE3-activity was 36.8+/-6.4 pmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) in adipose tissue and 3.9+/-0.5 pmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) in muscle. PDE4-activity in skeletal muscle was high, i.e., 60.7+/-10.2 pmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) but 8.5 pmol x min(-1) x mg(-1) or less in adipose tissue. In conclusion, insulin inhibits lipolysis in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle by activation of different PDEs, suggesting a unique metabolic role of muscle lipolysis.