In vitro glucose and 2-aminoisobutyric acid uptake by rat interscapular brown adipose tissue

The dependence upon substrate and insulin concentrations, as well as on sodium and potassium concentrations in the medium of the uptake of glucose and 2-aminoisobutyric acid, was determined for fragments of brown and white adipose tissues incubated in vitro. Brown adipose tissue showed a high capacity for glucose uptake at high glucose concentrations, this uptake being dependent on both glucose and insulin concentration. White adipose tissue showed much more limited uptake capabilities. The presence of Na+ and K+ had little effect on the uptake. The uptake of 2-aminoisobutyric acid was similar in both adipose tissues, being enhanced by physiological levels of insulin and depressed by ouabain. This amino acid transport was dependent on Na+ and K+ concentrations, and the overall transporting capability was two to three orders of magnitude lower than that for glucose. It was concluded that amino acids could not play a significant role as bulk thermogenic substrates for brown adipose tissue, as their transporters lack the plasticity of response to high substrate and insulin concentrations which characterize brown adipose tissue uptake of glucose.