Sexual dimorphism of adipose and hepatic aquaglyceroporins in health and metabolic disorders

RODRIGUEZ AMAIA; RAUL A. MARINELLI; TESSE A; FRÜHBECK G; CALAMITA G

Frontiers in Endocrinology

Lausanne : Frontiers Research Foundation

Año: 2015 vol. 6 p. 171 - 178

1664-2392

Gender differences in the relative risk of developing metabolic complications, such as insulin resistance or non-alcoholic fatty liverdisease (NAFLD), have been reported. The deregulation of glycerol metabolism partly contributes to the onset of these metabolicdiseases, since glycerol constitutes a key substrate for the synthesis of triacylglycerols as well as for hepatic gluconeogenesis. Thepresent minireview covers the sex-related differences in glycerol metabolism and aquaglyceroporins (AQPs) and its impact in thecontrol of adipose and hepatic fat accumulation as well as in whole-body glucose homeostasis. Plasma glycerol concentrations areincreased in women compared to men probably due to the higher lipolytic rate and larger AQP7 amounts in visceral fat as well asthe well-known sexual dimorphism in fat mass with women showing higher adiposity. AQP9 represents the primary route forglycerol uptake in hepatocytes, where glycerol is converted by the glycerol kinase enzyme into glycerol-3-phosphate, a keysubstrate for de novo synthesis of glucose and triacylglycerol. In spite of showing similar hepatic AQP9 protein, women exhibitlower hepatocyte glycerol permeability than men, which might contribute to their lower prevalence of insulin resistance and NAFLD.