The level of free fatty acid (FFA) in plasma is increased by diabetes. The increase in plasma FFA levels accompanied the stimulation of basal lipolysis (i.e. lipolysis in the absence of lipolytic agents) in fat cells. Injection of streptozotocin with rats resulted in a significant increase in basal FFA production (5.5 fold) in fat cells. However, basal glycerol production in fat cells was increased only 1.5 fold by streptozotocin-induced diabetes, implying that FFA re-esterification in fat

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... was decreased by streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The FFA re-esterification in fat cells was also decreased by 1 d of fasting. Although basal lipolysis was increased by streptozotocin-induced diabetes or 1-d fasting, neutral triacylglycerol lipase activity and the immunoreactive HSL protein content in fat cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats or 1-d fasting rats were not significantly changed. Although ␤blockers inhibited lipolysis induced by norepinephrine at a concentration of 10 Ϫ 4 M , it failed to inhibit the basal lipolysis and FFA re-esterification in fat cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Nor did insulin or H-89, another antilipolytic agent, affect basal lipolysis or FFA re-esterification in fat cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. These results indicate that basal FFA production may be induced by a decrease of re-esterification of FFA in diabetic rats and is not affected by antilipolytic agents such as insulin, ␤ -blockers or H-89.