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Physiology and Physiopathology of Adipose Tissue pp 141–157Cite as

Adipose Tissue Lipolysis

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Abstract

Adipose tissue lipolysis is the process by which stored triacylglycerols in the lipid droplet of adipocytes are released as non-esterified fatty acids to be oxidized in peripheral organs when energy is needed. The hydrolysis of triacylglycerols involves different regulators, such as lipases, co-lipases, and proteins that coat the lipid droplet and, several converging signal transduction pathways. Dysfunction in fat mobilization may play a noticeable role in the development of obesity-related metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular risk. This chapter aims at reviewing the fast-growing knowledge about the proteins and mechanisms modulating lipolysis with a focus on the ongoing pharmacological strategies targeting antilipolytic pathways. Inhibition of adipose tissue lipolysis may be viewed as a mechanism limiting lipotoxicity in non-adipose organs, thus alleviating the development of insulin resistance and obesity-induced metabolic abnormalities.

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Acknowledgments

Lipolysis studies from our laboratories are supported by Inserm, Université Paul Sabatier, Hôpitaux de Toulouse, FRM, SFD, DHOS, GlaxoSmithKlineBeecham, Région Midi-Pyrénées and the Commission of the European Communities Collaborative Project ADAPT (www.adapt-eu.net), Contract No. HEALTH-F2-2008-2011 00.

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  1. I2MC, INSERM UPS U1048, Obesity Research Laboratory, Team 4, CHU Rangueil, Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1 avenue Jean Poulhès, BP 84225, 31432, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

    Dominique Langin & Etienne Mouisel

  2. UMR1048, University of Toulouse, Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France

    Dominique Langin & Etienne Mouisel

  3. Clinical Biochemistry Department, Toulouse University Hospitals, Toulouse, France

    Dominique Langin

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  1. Dominique Langin
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  2. Etienne Mouisel
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Correspondence to Dominique Langin .

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  1. Rue de la Chine 4, Paris, 75020, France

    Jean-Philippe Bastard

  2. Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France

    Bruno Fève

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Langin, D., Mouisel, E. (2013). Adipose Tissue Lipolysis. In: Bastard, JP., Fève, B. (eds) Physiology and Physiopathology of Adipose Tissue. Springer, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0343-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0343-2_10

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