Effect of Corn Peptides in Combination with Exercise on Weight Reduction, Plasma Lipid, Chemerin and Lp-PLA<SUB>2</SUB> in Overweight and Obese Females

Abstract

Our previous work has demonstrated better weight reduction and plasma lipid improvement roles of corn peptides (CP) in combination with aerobic exercise than aerobic exercise in obese rats, the purpose of this paper is to explore if the better effectiveness of CP combined with exercise also exist in overweight and slight obese young females and to determine the possible role of adipokine chemerin and inflammation factor lipoprotein-associated phspholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2). Twenty-six young female (18-21 years old, body fat percentage: 29.15%±2.71% and body mass index (BMI): 23.92±1.78) were allocated randomly to four groups: exercise 1 group (E1, n=6), CP+E1 group (n=7), E2 group (n=6) and CP+E2 group (n=7). The females in E1 and CP+E1 groups did 1 hour aerobics 3 times a week, while the same aerobics were done but 5 times a week by E2 and CP+E2 groups. The exercise lasts for four weeks and 10 g of CP were taken orally by the females in the two CP groups every night after meal. Similar power placebo was administered to the non-CP treated females. The diet of these females kept unchanged during the 4 weeks. The body weight, BMI, body fat percentage and plasma lipid parameters including triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein a (Apo-A), apolipoprotein b (Apo-B) and the ratios of LDL-C/HDL-C and Apo-B/Apo-A as well as plasma levels of chemerin and Lp-PLA2 were determined pre and post 4 weeks. Compared to E1 group, all the above parameters did not change in CP+E1 group after 4 weeks. Except for an obvious reduction of body fat percentage (from 29.44%±2.65% to 27.93%±2.56% vs from 27.95%±3.38% to 27.47%±3.88%, p<0.05) were found in CP+E2 group, other changes were still not observed compare with that of E2. It's worth noting that obvious reduction of chemerin was found in individuals with abnormal lipid parameters return to normal and no change of chemerin was showed in a female whose abnormal lipid index kept stable after treatment with CP combined with exercise. In conclusion, only when frequent aerobic exercise was performed did CP in combination with aerobic exercise promote significantly the decrease of body fat percentage in overweight and slight obese females. The fat loss resulted from CP in combination with exercise is not related to the plasma levels of chemerin and Lp-PLA2, which might be attributed to no change of blood lipid parameters within normal ranges in overweight and slight obese females. Although no difference of chemerin between groups, changes of plasma chemerin in individual females with abnormal lipid parameters suggested that CP in combination with exercise might reverse the abnormal plasma levels of TG, TC and LDL-C by decreasing the plasma levels of chemerin.