Short-Chain Fatty Acids Differentially Affect Intracellular Lipolysis in a Human White Adipocyte Model

Gut-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), formed by microbial fermentation of dietary fibers, are believed to be involved in the etiology of obesity and diabetes. Previous data from our group showed that colonic infusions of physiologically relevant SCFA mixtures attenuated whole-body lipolysis in overweight men. To further study potential mechanisms involved in the antilipolytic properties of SCFA, we aimed to investigate the effects of SCFA incubations on intracellular lipolysis and signaling using a human white adipocyte model, the human multipotent adipose tissue-derived stem (hMADS) cells. hMADS adipocytes were incubated with mixtures of acetate, propionate, and butyrate or single SCFA (acetate, propionate and butyrate) in concentrations ranging between 1 µmol/L and 1 mmol/L. Glycerol release and lipase activation was investigated during basal conditions and following β-adrenergic stimulation. SCFA mixtures high in acetate and propionate decreased basal glycerol release, when compared to control (