title: Anti-glucocorticoid effects of progesterone in vivo on rat adipose tissue metabolism.
abstract: Steroid hormones seem to be important for adipose tissue metabolism and accumulation. As progesterone has been suggested to modulate the glucocorticoid effects, the interactions between glucocortioid and progesterone on adipose tissue metabolism were investigated.Forty-eight male Wistar rats were adrenectomized and divided into four groups; controls (treated with vehicle only), dexamethasone treated (10 micro g per rat), progesterone treated (5mg per rat) and the last group received both dexamethasone and progesterone. The dexamethasone-treated group had a significant loss of body weight and smaller intra-abdominal fat depots compared to the control group in addition, dexamethasone increased LPL-activity and increased catecholamine stimulated lipolysis. When progesterone was given concomitantly the dexamethasone effects on adipose tissue mass, LPL-activity and lipolysis were blocked. When given alone progesterone had no influence on body weight, amount of adipose tissue, lipolysis or LPL-activity. These data indicate that progesterone acts as an anti-glucocorticoid in adipose tissue in vivo, thus attenuating the glucocorticoid effect on adipose tissue metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus Amtssygehus, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 Aarhus C., Denmark. amtssp@aau.dk
authors.forename: Steen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Richelsen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011374:Progesterone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase