Miyoshi Y, Uchida K, Takeda-Hara E, Nagai K, Okuda H
Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1981 May;14(5):701-6. doi: 10.1016/0091-3057(81)90134-9.
The lipolytic action of theophylline was examined using both intact fat cells and a fat globule system. Theophylline had similar lipolytic actions in both systems. However theophylline did not activate hormone-sensitive lipase in the fat globule system as measured with added Ediol. Pretreatment of the fat globules with phospholipase C suppressed theophylline-induced lipolysis, but phospholipase D had no effect. A theophylline-sensitive system was reconstituted from endogenous fat and a lipase fraction. Inhibitors of theophylline-induced lipolysis such as quinine and propranolol inhibited theophylline binding to artificial lipid micelles. Purine nucleosides such as adenosine, inosine and guanosine inhibited theophylline-induced lipolysis in the fat globule system. These results suggest that theophylline has a lipolytic action similar to that of adrenaline. Both share a lipolytic mechanism additional to that involving the activation of hormone sensitive lipase through the cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase. Phospholipids play an important role in this additional mechanism.
