Effect of hypothalamic ventro-medial nucleus electric stimulation and 6-hydroxydopamine on cardiac lipoprotein lipase activity in rabbits.

The influence of hypothalamic electric stimulation and administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on cardiac lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was investigated in 19 rabbits either acutely stimulated in the hypothalamic ventro-medial nucleus (HVMN), or injected with 6-OHDA, or submitted to both experimental procedures. 6 animals served as controls. In rabbits pretreated with 6-OHDA a significant decrease of LPL activity was found with respect to controls (p less than 0.005) and also to stimulated animals (p less than 0.005). The possible mechanism underlying this change is discussed.