Ultrasound associated with caffeine increases basal and beta-adrenoceptor response in adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue in pigs

Abstract

Background: The topical use of caffeine has been indicated for the lipodystrophies treatment as it promotes increased lipolysis. Ultrasound (US) is often used in cutaneous diseases, esthetic conditions, and as a skin permeation enhancer. Objective: We investigate the lipolytic response of adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose pigs tissue subjected to treatment with topical application of phonophoresis associated with caffeine. Method: We treated dorsal regions of pigs (Landrace × Large White, 35 days, 15 kg, n = 6) daily for 15 days with gel, gel + US [3 MHz, continuous, 0.2 Wcm², 1 min/cm², in total 2 min], gel + caffeine (5%w/w), and gel + caffeine + US. We used a fifth untreated region as control. Twenty-four hours after the last application, we isolated the adipocytes of each treated area and quantified the basal and stimulated lipolytic responses to isoprenaline. The results, in μmol glycerol/10⁶cells/60 min, were analyzed with analysis of variance or ANOVA followed by Newman–Keuls test. The value of p < 0.05 was indicative of statistical difference. Results: Only the adipocytes isolated from the area treated with caffeine + US showed increased basal lipolysis (0.76 ± 0.26; p = 0.0276) and maximal isoprenaline stimulation (0.38 ± 0.15, p = 0.0029) compared with the other areas. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that increased lipolysis of caffeine + US is due to an increase in basal and beta-adrenoceptor response by caffeine, and caffeine's effect is local, avoiding unwanted effects.

KEYWORDS:

• Glycerol
• isoproterenol
• phonophoresis
• topical agents

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Espaço da Escrita, General Coordination of the University UNICAMP, for the language services provided.

Funding

We would like to thank the University of Campinas (UNICAMP); the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo—FAPESP, Teaching and Research Support Foundation (FAEP), and the Research Support Fund (FAP) of the University Methodist of Piracicaba (UNIMEP) for the financial support.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.