title: Effects of testosterone and estrogen treatment on lipolysis signaling pathways in subcutaneous adipose tissue of postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment effects of testosterone and estrogen on the expression of proteins and genes involved in adipocyte signal transduction to lipolysis in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue of postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open, randomized clinical study with parallel group comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women's health clinical research unit and a research laboratory at a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six healthy naturally postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were randomly given testosterone undecanoate (40 mg every second day) or estradiol valerate (2 mg daily) for 3 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of proteins and genes involved in adipocyte signal transduction to lipolysis in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively, and related to plasma glycerol before or during a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Testosterone treatment decreased the expression of hormone-sensitive lipase and increased the expression of phosphodiesterase-3B, whereas no effect of estrogen was observed. Testosterone-induced changes in hormone-sensitive lipase expression correlated positively with corresponding changes in basal or clamp-induced plasma glycerol concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with testosterone in postmenopausal women down-regulates hormone-sensitive lipase and up-regulates phosphodiesterase-3B expressions in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in relation to changes in vivo of lipolytic activity, which may promote the accumulation of fat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. hzang@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rydén
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wåhlen
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dahlman-Wright
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arner
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindén Hirschberg
mesh_terms: D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate