RESUMO
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone that presents several effects on metabolism; however, most of the studies have been performed on male animals, while few authors have investigated possible sex differences regarding the metabolic effects of DHEA. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of DHEA on metabolic parameters of male and ovariectomized female Wistar rats. Sex differences were found in the metabolism of distinct substrates and in relation to the effect of DHEA. In respect to the glucose metabolism in the liver, the conversion of glucose to CO2 and the synthesis of lipids from glucose were 53% and 33% higher, respectively, in males. Also, DHEA decreased hepatic lipogenesis only in females. Regarding the hepatic glycogen synthesis pathway, females presented 73% higher synthesis than males, and the effect of DHEA was observed only in females, where it decreased this parameter. In the adipose tissue, glucose uptake was 208% higher in females and DHEA decreased this parameter. In the muscle, glucose uptake was 168% higher in females and no DHEA effect was observed. In summary, males and females present a different metabolic profile, with females being more susceptible to the metabolic effects of DHEA.
Assuntos
Tecido Adiposo/efeitos dos fármacos , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Desidroepiandrosterona/administração & dosagem , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Músculo Esquelético/efeitos dos fármacos , Tecido Adiposo/metabolismo , Animais , Feminino , Glucose/metabolismo , Glicogênio/biossíntese , Lipídeos , Lipogênese/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/metabolismo , Masculino , Modelos Animais , Músculo Esquelético/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Fatores SexuaisRESUMO
The present work assesses in vitro the role of human Stanniocalcin 1 (hSTC-1) in glucose metabolism in white retroperitoneal adipose tissue (WRAT) from fed rat. In the fed state, hSTC1 increases the incorporation of 14C from glucose into lipids in the rat WRAT. The increase in lipogenesis capacity supports the hypothesis that the activity of the glycerol-3-phosphate-generating pathway (glycolysis) from glucose is regulated by hSTC-1. The effect of hSTC-1 on de novo fatty acid synthesis and on glucose oxidation in WRAT is supported by an 85 % increase in 14CO2 production from 14C-glucose. The incubation of WRAT in the presence of hSTC-1 maintained the ADP/ATP ratio close to the control group. The presence of hSTC-1 in the incubation medium did not inhibit the lipolytic effect of epinephrine. In conclusion, hSTC-1 is one of the hormonal factors that control glucose metabolism in WRAT in the fed state.