Lipoprotein-lipase activity in human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in the fasting and the fed states.

Sixteen healthy subjects, 7 females and 9 males, with a mean age of 25 years (range 22--29 years), were studied in the fasting state in the morning and 8 h later after partaking of breakfast, lunch and two small meals. The lipoprotein-lipase activity in the adipose tissue increased significantly from 80 +/- 32 to 117 +/- 61 nmol fatty acid released per gram and minute (nmol FA/g/min), whereas in skeletal-muscle tissue it decreased significantly from 25 +/- 11 to 17 +/- 9 nmol FA/g/min. The concentration of serum triglycerides increased significantly from 0.93 +/- 0.18 mmol/l (mean +/- SD) in the fasting state to 1.57 +/- 0.64 mmol/l in the fed state. In the fasting state the lipoprotein-lipase activity of skeletal muscle was inversely related to the ratio between the concentrations of insulin and glucagon.