[Age-dependence of catecholamine effects in man. IV. Effects of specific inhibitors on the lipolytic action of alpha and beta adrenergics].

In order to characterize age differences in the lipolytic effect of catecholamines on tests of subcutaneous adipose tissue of test persons aged from 0.1 to 10 years, from 20 to 40 years, and from 60 to 75 years the influence of propranolol, phentolamine and theophyllin on the release of glycerol by isoprenalin and adrenalin was investigated. Propranolol (10(8) and 10(5) mol/1) inhibits the lipolysis in the adipose tissue of all age groups stimulated by isoprenalin (10(6)and 10(5) mol/1). The following Ki-values were calculated: 2x10(6) mol/1in the tissue of adults, 0.5 x 10(6) mol/1 in the infantile adipose tissue, 0.2 X 10(6) mol/1 in the tissue of old persons. Phentolamine (10(5) mol/1) increases the lipolytic effect of adrenalin (10(5) mol/1), there are no age differences. Theophyllin (10 (2) mol/1) increases the release of glycerol induced by isoprenalin (10(5) mol/1) in infantile and adult adipose tissue, however, it has no influence on them in the adipose tissue of old man. The findings suggest the higher sensitivity of the fat cells of the ageing organism to beta-adrenergics underlies a higher affinity of the adrenergics to the specific beta-adrenoceptors in the cytoplasm membrane of the adipocytes. The more intensive lipid mobilization in old age by beta-adrenergics is explained by a low activity of the cAMP-phosphodiesterase of the fat cells and by the higher and possibly longer lasting increase of intracellular cAMP in this age group.