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Increased Expression and Activity of Hepatic Lipase in the Liver of Morbidly Obese Adult Patients in Relation to Lipid Content

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Abstract

Background

The types and sources of lipid deposition in the liver of most patients with morbid obesity, as well as the effects of bariatric surgery, are discussed.

Methods

In 26 patients with morbid obesity who underwent bariatric surgery, we analyzed different kinds of lipids and hepatic lipase (HL) from both plasma and liver biopsies performed 12–18 months after surgery.

Results

The HL activity and HL-mRNA in morbidly obese (MO) livers were high (258 ± 17 mU/g, and 4.5-fold, respectively); after surgery, the activity decreased (137 ± 15 mU/g, p < 0.001) but not the levels of HL-mRNA (4.3-fold). Plasma HL activity was also high (4.31 ± 0.94 mU/mL plasma), and it decreased during weight loss (2.01 ± 0.29 mU/mL, p < 0.01); moreover, it correlated (r = 0.3694, p < 0.05) with decreased liver HL activity. Adrenocorticotropic hormone in MO was higher (27 ± 3 pg/mL) than after surgery (13 ± 1 pg/mL, p < 0.001). All hepatic and plasma lipids were significantly increased in MO patients, but, after bariatric surgery, most of those parameters recovered or normalized. Liver HL activity correlated with total and esterified cholesterol (r = 0.4399, p < 0.001 and r = 0.4395, p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion

High HL in MO patients could allow for liver intake of cholesterol that could be re-exported to steroidogenic organs to synthesize steroidal hormones. A decrease of plasma HL during weight loss could be a good index for improvement of liver disease.

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Abbreviations

NAFLD:

nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

HL:

hepatic lipase

ALT:

alanine aminotransferase

AST:

aspartate aminotransferase

HOMA-IR:

homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Drs. J. A. Baena, J. M. Fort, R. Catalán, R. Galard, A. Lecube, H. Allende, and V. Vargas for their outstanding work with subjects in the hospital and for their important contribution to this research. This research has received funding from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish Ministry for Health and Consumer Affairs (PI030042, PI030024, and PI070079). E. Pardina was awarded grant by the same Institution.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

The authors who have taken part in this study do not have a relationship with the manufacturers of the drugs involved either in the past or present and did not receive funding from the manufacturers to carry out their research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Eva Pardina & Julia Peinado-Onsurbe

  2. Endocrinology Surgery Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall D’hebron, Institut De Recerca Vall D’hebron, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Juan A. Baena-Fustegueras & Jose M. Fort

  3. Biochemistry Department, Hospital Universitari Vall D’hebron, Institut De Recerca Vall D’hebron, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Roberto Catalán & Rosa Galard

  4. CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Diabetes Research Unit, Institut de Recerca Vall D’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Albert Lecube

  5. Pathology Division, Hospital Universitari Vall D’hebron, Institut De Recerca Vall D’hebron, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Helena Allende

  6. Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall D’hebron, Institut De Recerca Vall D’hebron, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Víctor Vargas

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  1. Eva Pardina
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  2. Juan A. Baena-Fustegueras
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  9. Julia Peinado-Onsurbe
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Correspondence to Julia Peinado-Onsurbe.

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Pardina, E., Baena-Fustegueras, J.A., Catalán, R. et al. Increased Expression and Activity of Hepatic Lipase in the Liver of Morbidly Obese Adult Patients in Relation to Lipid Content. OBES SURG 19, 894–904 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-008-9739-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-008-9739-9

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