Insulin and adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity in humans.

Insulin may be important in regulating adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase in the rat. Insulin appears to be necessary for the maintenance of enzyme activity in adipose tissue in humans since it is decreased in untreated diabetes and returns to normal with anti-hyperglycemic therapy. Other than this permissive role of insulin in maintenance of adipose tissue LPL activity in humans, there is little evidence that insulin, by itself, plays a primary role in the regulation of adipose-tissue lipoprotein lipase in man.