title: No effect of free fatty acids on adrenocorticotropin and cortisol secretion in healthy young men.
abstract: Free fatty acids (FFAs) affect anterior pituitary function. However, the effect of FFAs on corticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol in humans is controversial. Thus, we assessed the effect of a pronounced increase in circulating FFA levels induced by infusion of lipid/heparin on ACTH and cortisol secretion in young men. Eight healthy male volunteers who underwent a 10-hour overnight fast were investigated. A 20% lipid/heparin or saline/heparin infusion was given at a rate of 1.5 mL/min for 6 hours. A euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp was performed in 6 subjects 4 hours after the start of infusion. To assess steroid metabolism, we measured ACTH, cortisol, FFAs, and urinary steroids. Lipid infusion increased FFAs (6.06 +/- 0.52 vs 0.70 +/- 0.23 mmol/L; P < .005) and induced insulin resistance (glucose infusion rate, 4.08 +/- 2.15 vs 6.02 +/- 2.60 mg/kg per minute; P < .005). Serum cortisol and plasma ACTH decreased independent of lipid/heparin or saline/heparin infusion. In addition, we found no effect of hyperinsulinemia on ACTH and cortisol levels. There were no differences in urinary free cortisol, urinary free cortisone, 5beta-tetrahydrocortisol, 5alpha-tetrahydrocortisol, and tetrahydrocortisone. In conclusion, FFAs had no effect on basal ACTH and cortisol secretion in normal-weight young men. In addition, no alterations in urinary glucocorticoid metabolites were detected, suggesting unchanged cortisol metabolism during lipid infusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Charite-University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, 12200 Berlin, Germany. knut.mai@charite.de
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bobbert
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kullmann
authors.forename: Janin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andres
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bähr
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maser-Gluth
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rochlitz
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spranger
authors.forename: Ssven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diederich
authors.forename: Andreas F H
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000502:physiology*; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018401:Sample Size; D013256:Steroids / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D013256:Steroids; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone