Alternation of lipolysis-pathway receptors in the adipocytes of cancer cachectic patients        CAO Dong-xing, WU Guo-hao, ZHANG Bo, et al. Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital，Fudan University，Shanghai 200032，China
Corresponding author: WU Guo-hao, E-mail: wu.guohao@zs-hospital.sh.cn
Abstract    Objective    To detect the expression of lipolysis-pathway receptors of adipocytes in the patients with cancer cachexia (CC). Methods    The data of lipolysis-pathway receptors of adipocytes in 34 patients (including 12 CC patients, 13 cancer controls and 9 nonmalignant controls) admitted between May 2008 and November 2009 in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University were analyzed. Gene expression levels of β1, 2, 3, α2C-adrenergic receptor (ADRB1, ADRB2, ADRB3, ADRA2C), natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA), insulin receptor (IR) and HSL were detected in adipose samples by Real-time PCR, and protein levels of ADRB1 and HSL were detected by Western blot. Results    In the CC group, mRNA levels of both ADRB1 and HSL were 0.5 fold elevated selectively (P<0.05); ADRB1 protein level showed a 1.5 and 3.0 fold increase as compared with the two control groups (both P<0.001); HSL protein level was 2.0~2.5 fold increased selectively (P<0.005). There was a positive correlation between protein level of ADRB1 and HSL (r=0.474, P=0.005). Conclusion    ADRB1 expression is increased in adipocytes of CC patients, and positively correlated with elevated HSL expression.