Abstract.
Aims/hypothesis:
Phospholipid transfer protein plays a key role in lipoprotein metabolism by catalysing the transfer of phospholipids from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to high-density lipoproteins and, also, within the high-density lipoprotein family, from particle to particle. This transfer results in a change of HDL particle size and the generation of pre-β-high-density lipoproteins which function as initial lipid acceptors in the process of reverse cholesterol transport. Because adipose tissue is a source of phospholipid transfer protein we investigated the influence of obesity and insulin sensitivity on phospholipid transfer protein activity.
Methods:
Using an exogenous substrate assay phospholipid transfer protein activity was measured in plasma specimens of 190 normolipidaemic, non-diabetic subjects with BMI ranging from 19 to 43 kg/m2. Insulin sensitivity was measured by the short insulin tolerance test.
Results:
Phospholipid transfer protein activity was associated with BMI (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), body fat mass (r = 0.39, p < 0.01), subcutaneous fat area (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and plasma leptin concentration (r = 0.24, p < 0.01) but not with insulin sensitivity expressed as the ks of the insulin tolerance test (kITT value) (r = –0.14, p = 0.40). Accordingly, phospholipid transfer protein activity was higher in obese than in non-obese subjects. As determined by linear regression analysis, BMI was the sole predictor of phospholipid transfer protein activity in plasma explaining 22.2 % of the activity (p< 0.01).
Conclusions/interpretations:
This data suggests that increased phospholipid transfer protein activity in obese subjects is a consequence of obesity itself without the contribution of insulin resistance and can be explained by increased synthesis of phospholipid transfer protein from the enlarged mass of adipose tissue. [Diabetologia (2001) 44: 1111–1117]
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Received: 20 April 2001 and in revised form: 21 May 2001
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Kaser, S., Sandhofer, A., Föger, B. et al. Influence of obesity and insulin sensitivity on phospholipid transfer protein activity. Diabetologia 44, 1111–1117 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250100630
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001250100630