Possible Association of Altered Serum Lipids in Obese Adult Females with Adenoviral Infection

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the possible role of adenovirus infection in etiology of obesity. Antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM) to adenovirus were determined in a total of 71 Caucasian, apparently healthy, middle aged (mean 45.9 ± 13.6 years), living in urban area, cohort of women - including overweight/obese (OW/OB, n = 50) and normal weight (NW, n = 21) group - by using serotype non-specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Triglycerides (TG), total- (TChol) and HDL-cholesterol (HDLChol) concentrations in collected serum samples were performed by standard enzymatic methods. The level of LDL cholesterol (LDLChol) was calculated using the Friedewald formula. Anthropometric measurements were taken and body mass index (BMI), percentage of fat mass (%FM) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. There were no associations (p > 0.05) observed between IgG + or IgA + seropositivity for adenovirus and measured obesity indicators as BMI, %FM, WHR in studied female groups. However, in the group of OW/OB subjects with combined seropositivity (IgG + /IgA + ) - both for IgG and IgA antibodies to adenovirus - which suggest chronic adenoviral infection the significantly (p < 0.05) lower serum TG, TChol and LDLChol concentrations have been observed in comparison with the seronegative (IgG - /IgA - ) females from the OW/OB and NW group of females. Findings of our pilot study suggest that infection of some adenoviruses may predispose to altered serum lipids in some adult OW/OB females. Further studies should be made to critically evaluate this association and its possible consequences to currently accepted protocols for obesity prevention and treatment. Especially, in this group of OW/OB females, the involvement of measurements of the serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies to adenovirus or isolation/identification of specific adenovirus like particles in serum and adipose tissue using convective interaction media (CIM) monolithic column technology should be advisable.