Free fatty acid mobilization in the development of cerium-induced fatty liver

Following cerium injection to female rats: (1) Plasma free fatty acids (FFA) concentration increases during the first 24 hours, then remains constant up to 48 hours. (2) Adipose tissue lipolytic activity increases tremendously during the first 12 hours (+380%), maintaining high values throughout the study (48hrs). These modifications are followed by a time-dependent increase of total liver lipids consisting mainly of triglycerides and to a less extent of cholesterol. (3) Adrenalectomy prevented the development of cerium-induced fatty liver: plasma FFA and lipolysis failed to increase in adrenalectomized cerium-treated animals. Thus, our study demonstrates the involvement of adrenergic stimulation of adipose tissue lipase as an obligatory step in the development of cerium-induced fatty liver.