Role of amyloid β in the induction of lipolysis and secretion of adipokines from human adipose tissue

Amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide, which is generated from proteolytic cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP), is a key molecule involved in the pathology of Alzheimer disease. Both APP and A beta peptides are expressed in adipose tissue, however it is currently unclear whether A beta can affect the key functions of adipose tissue. We aimed to explore whether A beta affected lipolysis and adipokine secretion in cultured human adipose tissue. We found that A beta(25-35), which contains the main functional domain of the A beta, stimulated lipolysis via PKA and ERK1/2-dependent pathways and that A beta(25-35) induced leptin and IL-6 secretion. It is concluded that A beta peptide exerts functional effects on adipose tissue that may lead to increased release of free fatty acids and pro-inflammatory adipokines.