Abstract
Background: Clinical studies have demonstrated that higher protein intake based on caloric restriction (CR) alleviates metabolic abnormalities. However, no study has examined the effects of plasma protein profiles on caloric restriction with protein supplementation (CRPS) in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Therefore, using a proteomic perspective, this pilot study investigated whether CRPS ameliorated metabolic abnormalities associated with MetS in middle-aged women. Methods: Plasma samples of middle-aged women with MetS in CR (n = 7) and CRPS (n = 6) groups for a 12-week intervention were obtained and their protein profiles were analysed. Briefly, blood samples from qualified participants were drawn before and after the dietary treatment. Anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical variables were measured and correlated with plasma proteomics. Results: In results, we found that body mass index, total body fat, and fasting blood glucose decreased significantly after the interventions but were not different between the CR and CRPS groups. After liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis, the relative plasma levels of alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M), C4b-binding protein alpha chain (C4BPA), complement C1r subcomponent-like protein (C1RL), complement component C6 (C6), complement component C8 gamma chain (C8G), and vitamin K-dependent protein S (PROS) were significantly different between the CRPS and CR groups. These proteins are involved in inflammation, the immune system, and coagulation responses. Moreover, blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly and positively correlated with C6 plasma levels in both groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CRPS improves inflammatory responses in middle-aged women with MetS. Specific plasma protein expression (i.e., A2M, C4BPA, C1RL, C6, C8G, and PROS) associated with the complement system was highly correlated with fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood lipids (BLs), and body fat.
Highlights
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an escalating global public health challenge
BW: body weight, BMI: body mass index, WC: waist circumference, TBF: total body fat, SBP: systolic blood pressure, DBP: diastolic blood pressure, GOT: glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, GPT: glutamate pyruvate transaminase, BUN: blood urea nitrogen, CR: creatinine, ALB: albumin, FBG: fasting blood glucose, PC: postprandial glucose, HOMA-IR: homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, QUICKI: quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, TG: triglyceride, TC: total cholesterol, HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, CRP: C-reactive protein, IL-6: interleukin 6, CR: caloric restriction diet, CRPS: caloric restriction with protein supplementation. a Data are presented as median (75th percentile values are in parentheses). b p-value according to Mann–Whitney U test for postintervention-comparing between groups. * p < 0.05, in comparison with baseline measurements within groups and according to Wilcoxon signed-rank test
BMI, android fat, gynoid fat, total body fat (TBF), and FBG decreased significantly in the groups throughout the 12-week interventions, but no significant differences were observed between the groups (Table 1)
Summary
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an escalating global public health challenge. The prevalence of MetS varies among countries and is affected by region, sex, age, and ethnicity [1,2]. Clinical studies have shown that caloric restriction (CR) causes weight loss, changes body composition, and decreases a person’s basal metabolic rate [5,6,7]. These effects are believed to result from lowering the thermic effect of feeding and reducing thermal substrates. A study reported that short-term CR influenced the secretion of adipokines from adipocytes (e.g., increased adiponectin levels and decreased leptin levels in blood), but there was no significant difference in the amount of fat-free mass [8] Such a change has been regarded as in accordance with alleviation of diseases associated with MetS (e.g., atherosclerosis and type 2 DM) [8]. This study investigated the effects of CRPS on blood biochemical characteristics (e.g., triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), interleukin 6 (IL6), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood insulin levels, and body composition
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