α-Calcitonin gene related peptide (α-CGRP) mediated lipid mobilization in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The neuropeptide, α-calcitonin gene-related peptide (α-CGRP), is expressed from sensory nerves that innervate fat. However, how α-CGRP may act in adipose tissue is unclear. Using 3T3-L1 adipocytes we observed that rat α-CGRP (rα-CGRP) evoked either a biphasic or monophasic reduction in intracellular free fatty acid (FFA) content. cAMP production was always monophasic and occurred when FFA responses were absent. Taken together with the observed potencies, these findings suggest that adipose tissue is a physiological target for α-CGRP. However, uncoupling of the FFA and CGRP-signaling responses with increasing passage number limits 3T3-L1 adipocytes as a suitable cellular model.