Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a hydrolytic enzyme, involved in lipoprotein metabolism and nutrient partitioning, that is subject to tissue-specific regulation. Evidence for divergent regulation of the lipase by insulin has been demonstrated, but alterations in the tissue-specific response of LPL to catecholamines has not been studied in humans. The regulation of LPL in gluteal adipose tissue and vastus lateralis muscle by isoproterenol (epinephrine isopropyl homologue) in humans was examined over 2 h in subjects infused with 0 (saline) or 8 or 24 ng.kg-1.min-1 isoproterenol. The infusion of normal saline into control subjects failed to alter adipose tissue or skeletal muscle LPL activity. However, in the saline-infused subjects there was a positive correlation between the percent change in plasma norepinephrine concentrations and the percent change in muscle LPL activity (r = 0.826, P < 0.05). Isoproterenol infusion did not change LPL in either adipose tissue or muscle compared with saline-infused controls, but plasma insulin levels in addition to plasma glucose, free fatty acids, and glycerol were increased. To prevent the isoproterenol-induced hyperinsulinemia, a pancreatic clamp technique was utilized. An increase in muscle LPL was demonstrated (P = 0.037) with no change in adipose tissue LPL. The change in muscle LPL activity after the 2-h infusion correlated with the change in muscle mRNA (P = 0.021). Overall, these studies indicate that in humans the response of LPL to catecholamines is tissue specific with no effect in adipose tissue but a stimulation in skeletal muscle. Endogenous regulation of LPL in muscle by catecholamines could be important in muscle fuel metabolism and could relate to effects of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and/or fatty acids at the level of the LPL gene.