Detailed Lipid Profiles Research Articles

Adipose tissue lamin A/C messenger RNA expression in women

Mutations in the lamin A/C gene ( LMNA) cause lipodystrophy. However, little data are available on lamin A/C expression in various fat depots in women. We recruited 34 women scheduled for gynecologic surgery. Blood samples were collected on the morning of surgery to obtain a detailed lipid profile. Radiological examinations were performed to measure total body fat mass and abdominal fat accumulation. Fat samples were taken from the subcutaneous (SC) fat depot and from the greater omentum (OM) during the surgical procedure. Whole adipose tissue samples were used for total messenger RNA (mRNA) extraction and real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification of the LMNA transcript. No association was observed between lamin A/C mRNA expression, either in SC or OM fat tissue, and adiposity measures. Women with low SC lamin A/C expression, identified on the basis of the median value of SC lamin A/C mRNA expression, had a significantly altered lipid profile including lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and HDL 2 cholesterol and reduced HDL 2 cholesterol to HDL 3 cholesterol ratio ( P < .05 for all). These women were also characterized by higher cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein–triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein–apolipoprotein B, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ( P < .05 for all). Low SC lamin A/C mRNA expression levels were also associated with significantly increased lipolysis in isolated fat cells from this fat depot. Specifically, the response to lipolytic agent isoproterenol was significantly increased at doses ranging from 10 −5 to 10 −10 mol/L ( P < .05). A similar trend was observed in OM fat cells but did not reach significance. In conclusion, low lamin A/C expression in SC adipose tissue is associated with significant alterations in the lipid profile and increased fat cell lipolysis, independent of the level of total or abdominal adiposity.

Comparative lipid dynamics of euphausiids from the Antarctic and Northeast Pacific Oceans

To better understand the feeding and reproductive ecology of euphausiids (krill) in different ocean environments, lipid classes and individual lipid components of four different species of euphausiids from Northeast Pacific (temperate species) and Southern Ocean (Antarctic species) were analyzed in animals from multiple life stages and seasons. The dominant krill species in the Northeast Pacific Euphausia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinifera, were compared to the two major Antarctic species, Euphausia superba and E. crystallorophias. Analysis comprised total lipid and lipid classes together with individual fatty acid and sterol composition in adults, juveniles, and larvae. Antarctic krill had much higher lipid content than their temperate relatives (10–50 and 5–20% of dry mass for Antarctic and temperate species, respectively) with significant seasonal variations observed. Phospholipids were the dominant lipid class in both temperate krill species, while neutral storage lipids (wax esters and triacylglycerols for E. crystallorophias and E. superba, respectively) were the major lipid class in Antarctic krill and accounted for up to 40% of the total lipid content. Important fatty acids, specifically 16:0, 18:1ω9, 20:5ω3, and 22:6ω3, were detected in all four krill species, with minor differences between species and seasons. Detailed lipid profiles suggest that krill alter their lipid composition with life stage and season. In particular, larval Antarctic krill appear to utilize alternate food resources (i.e., sea-ice associated organisms) during austral winter in contrast to juveniles and adults (i.e., seston and copepods). Lipid dynamics in krill among krill in both systems appear closely linked to their life cycle and environmental conditions including food availability, and can provide a more complete comparative ecology of euphausiids in these environmentally distinct systems.

LIPE C-60G influences the effects of physical activity on body fat and plasma lipid concentrations: the Quebec Family Study.

A large body of evidence suggests that the environment plays an important role in the development of obesity. The hormone-sensitive lipase (encoded by the LIPE gene) is an intracellular enzyme that mobilises fat stores in a hormone-stimulated manner. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the LIPE C-60G polymorphism on body fat and plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations, and to test for its interaction with physical activity. The LIPE C-60G polymorphism was genotyped in 862 subjects from the Quebec Family Study. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass, percentage body fat, abdominal fat areas assessed by computed tomography, and detailed fasting plasma lipid and lipoprotein profiles were measured. Levels of physical activity were estimated using a three-day diary, and a moderate to strenuous physical activity score was retained for this study. The main effects of the LIPE C-60G polymorphism, physical activity and their interaction were determined by regression analyses separately in men and women using the MIXED model procedure. In men, we observed significant gene-physical activity interactions for BMI (p = 0.006), fat mass (p = 0.04), abdominal visceral fat area (p = 0.005) and plasma cholesterol (C) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (p = 0.003). A high level of physical activity was associated with reduced adiposity and a lower plasma-C/HDL-C ratio, but only in non-carriers of the genetic variant (G-60 allele). In women, no evidence of a gene by physical activity interaction was observed, except for subcutaneous abdominal fat (p = 0.05). These results suggest that the associations between physical activity and body fat and plasma lipoprotein/lipid concentrations in men are dependent on the LIPE C-60G polymorphism, and highlight the importance of taking into account the role of gene-physical activity interactions in candidate gene studies of obesity and obesity-related traits.

Lipidomic approach to evaluate rosuvastatin and atorvastatin at various dosages: investigating differential effects among statins

ABSTRACTObjective: Lipid profiling (lipidomics) may be useful in revealing detailed information with regard to the effects on lipid metabolism, the cardiovascular risk and to differentiate between therapies. The aims of the present study were to: (1) analyze in depth the lipid changes induced by rosuvastatin and atorvastatin at different dosages; (2) compare differences between the two drugs with respect to the lipid profile change; (3) relate the findings with meaningful pathological mechanisms of coronary artery disease.Research design and methods: Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was applied to obtain the metabolite profiles of plasma samples taken from a prospectively defined subset (n = 80) of participants in the RADAR study where a randomly assigned treatment with rosuvastatin or atorvastatin in increasing dosages was administered during an 18-week period.Results: A number of sphingomyelins (SPMs) and phosphatidylcholines (PCs) correlate with the different effects of the two statins on the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. Rosuvastatin increased the plasma concentration of PCs after 6 and 18 weeks, while atorvastatin reduced the plasma concentrations of PCs at both timepoints and dosages ( p < 0.01 for between-treatment comparison). Both atorvastatin and rosuvastatin lowered plasma SPMs concentrations, but atorvastatin demonstrated a more pronounced effect with the highest dose ( p = 0.03). Rosuvastatin resulted in a significantly more effective lowering of the [SPMs/(SPMs + PCs)] ratio than atorvastatin at any dose/timepoint ( p < 0.05), a ratio reported to be of clinical importance in coronary artery disease.Conclusions: The lipidomic technique has revealed that statins are different with regards to the effect on detailed lipid profile. The observed difference in lipids may be connected with different clinical outcomes as suggested by the [SPMs/(SPMs + PCs)] ratio.

Effect of moxonidine on lipid subfractions in patients with hypertension.

Moxonidine is centrally acting imidazoline type-1 receptor agonist that significantly lowers blood pressure and has some insulin-sensitising actions. Its effects on plasma lipid profiles are uncertain. This study examined the effects of moxonidine on detailed lipid and lipoprotein profiles in 12 patients with hypertension and type 2b Fredricksen hyperlipidaemia. Treatment with moxonidine in six patients who completed the study resulted in a 10/5 mmHg reduction in 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (p = 0.01). A significant reduction in total and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of 10% (p = 0.04) and 18% (p = 0.03), respectively, was seen. Triglycerides were reduced non-significantly by 23%, and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was increased by 16%. There were no significant changes in apolipoprotein (apo) A-1 and B concentrations. No significant shifts were seen in HDL-C, LDL-C, very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) or apolipoprotein peak positions with therapy. Analysis of area under curve for each subfraction showed that moxonidine therapy resulted in a redistribution within the apoB profile. A slight non-significant reduction in VLDL apoB was seen. There was a reduction in the dense LDL apoB peak (p = 0.02) but less in the buoyant LDL apoB peak (p = 0.17) with a countervailing increase in LDL-C in the buoyant fraction (p = 0.01). The HDL-C and apoA-1 profile showed a shift from dense HDL apoA-1 (p = 0.01) to a buoyant HDL apoA-1sub-species (p = 0.01). These changes are consistent with a tendency for moxonidine to improve atherogenic lipid and lipoprotein profiles by actions on insulin-sensitisation and possibly through a direct cholesterol-reducing effect as seen with other imidazoles.

Atherosclerosis in premenopausal women with antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus: a controlled study.

To evaluate whether premenopausal women with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased prevalence of atherosclerosis after adjustment has been made for known cardiovascular risk factors. We evaluated premenopausal women with APS in comparison with age-matched groups of patients with SLE [positive or negative for anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies] or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and healthy subjects. Thirty-three subjects in each group were assessed for cardiovascular risk factors, including a detailed lipid profile. Ultrasonography of carotid and femoral arteries assessed the intima-media thickness (IMT) and the presence of atherosclerotic plaque. Atherosclerotic plaques were detected in 5, 2, 4, 1 and 1 subject in the five groups respectively. APS patients had significantly more affected vessels than RA patients and healthy controls (P=0.042 and P=0.016, respectively), but not compared with SLE patients. No consistent differences in IMT, traditional cardiovascular risk factors or lipid parameters were detected among the five groups. The odds for atherosclerosis independently increased 1.19-fold per year of increasing age [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.31; P=0.001), 1.019-fold per 1 mg/dl increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (95% CI 1.003-1.036; P=0.020), 1.035-fold per additional 1 g of methylprednisolone equivalent cumulative corticosteroid dose (95% CI, 0.996-1.074; P=0.074), and 4.35-fold in the presence of APS or SLE (95% CI 0.75-25.2; P=0.10). Neither aCL nor anti-beta(2)GPI antibodies were associated with atherosclerosis. Premenopausal APS and SLE women have an increased prevalence of carotid and femoral plaque that is not accounted for by other predictors of atherosclerosis, including age, lipid parameters and cumulative steroid dose.

Effect of feeding water washed neem ( Azadirachta indica) seed kernel cake on the quality, lipid profile and fatty acid composition of goat meat

Three groups of five indigenous male goats 5–6 months of age, were offered control concentrate mixture (Group I) and those of Groups II and III were fed experimental concentrates containing 15 and 25% of water washed neem ( Azadirachta indica) seed kernel cake (NKC). After 180 days of feeding the goats were slaughtered. Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle from lumbar region was analysed for certain physico-chemical characteristics, organoleptic quality, detailed lipid profile and fatty acid composition; phosopholipids were fractionated into phosphatidyl inositide (PI), phosphatidyl serine (PS), lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC), lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine (LPE), sphingomyelin (SPH), phosphatidyl choline (PC) phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidic acid (PA). Fatty acids; capric, lauric, myristic, myristoleic, palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, stearic, oleic, linoleic acid were also identified. Feeding of NKC did not affect slaughter weight and dressing out yield. The dressing percentage ranged between 42.2 and 43.8%. The pH, colour, moisture, total crude protein, different protein fractions; water extractable, salt extractable and content of NPN did not differ among the groups. There was a significant decrease in the total lipid content of LD of experimental groups. PC and PE were the major fractions accounting for 60% of total phospholipids. There was a significant increase in PC and LPC fractions while LPE+SPH, PE and PA fractions decreased in goats fed NKC. A significant increase was noticed in unsaturated fatty acid content and decrease in total saturates. It is concluded that NKC feeding has the ability of reducing lipid content and increasing the unsaturated fatty acids, which are considered to be beneficial in reducing the cholesterol level. It may be used beneficially as an alternative for costly conventional oil cakes for economic lean chevon production without affecting the quality of goat meat.

Lipid Metabolism and Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients: Role of Factors Modulating Cytosolic Calcium.

Animal studies indicate that insulin resistance and glucose intolerance leading to dyslipidemia in uremic rats are associated with increased cytosolic calcium ([Ca++ i]). The resistance and intolerance are reversed with verapamil, but recur after its discontinuation. This finding suggests that hyperparathyroid-induced [Ca ++ i] increase is responsible for the metabolic derangement. We retrospectively examined, over a 12-year period, the effects of factors that lower [Ca ++ i] on total serum cholesterol and triglycerides in 332 hemodialysis (HD) patients. Because the study was retrospective, detailed lipid profiles were not available. We therefore relied on morbidity and mortality outcomes related to atherosclerotic vascular disease. Patients with diabetes mellitus were excluded, because their dyslipidemia and vascular disease are mediated via a different mechanism. Four groups emerged: group I [high parathormone (PTH) in the absence of calcium channel blockers (CCBs), n = 107], representing the highest [Ca++ i]; group II (high PTH in the presence of CCBs, n = 76) and group III (lower PTH in the absence of CCBs, n = 66), representing intermediate [Ca ++ i]; and group IV (lower PTH in the presence of CCBs, n = 83) representing the lowest [Ca ++ i]. The theoretically lower [Ca ++ i] was achieved via CCB therapy or lower PTH, or both. The mean serum cholesterol in group I was 322 ± 24 mg/dL and the level of triglycerides was 398 ± 34 mg/dL. Group II had mean serum cholesterol of 196 ± 16 mg/dL and triglycerides of 157 ± 17 mg/dL. Group III had a mean serum cholesterol of 202 ± 19 mg/dL and triglycerides of 160 ± 15 mg/dL. Group IV had a mean serum cholesterol of 183 ± 9 mg/dL and triglycerides of 94 ± 6 mg/dL. The differences in cholesterol and triglyceride levels among four groups were significant (p < 0.001) by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The incidence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality events was 61% in group I, 24% in group II, 28% in group III, and 18% in group IV (χ 2 = 47.7, p < 0.001). We conclude that, in non diabetic HD patients, hyperparathyroidism, especially in the absence of CCBs, is associated with severe dyslipidemia and increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Dyslipidemia may be related to a hyperparathyroid-induced increase in cytosolic calcium [Ca++ i]. Lowering [Ca++ i] by decreasing PTH or by blocking calcium entry into cells (via CCBs), or both, is associated with less dyslipidemia and improved long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Prospective randomized studies, with actual measurement of [Ca ++ i], are needed to verify the results of this study.

A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF PRAVASTATIN AND SIMVASTATIN IN HEART TRANSPLANTATION

627 The clinical importance of lipid-lowering therapy in heart transplantation is being increasingly recognized. The purpose of our study was to investigate the comparative efficacy and safety of pravastatin and simvastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia after heart transplantation. We randomized 49 heart transplant recipients between 1995 and 1997 with sustained elevations in LDL cholesterol (> 130 mg/dl) to receive either pravastatin (n = 23; mean dose 20 ± 5 mg) or simvastatin (n = 26; mean dose 11 ± 6 mg) for at least six months. During this period, detailed lipid profiles, hepatic function tests, and creatinine phosphokinase measurements were performed at three monthly intervals. Clinical evaluations for the development of adverse effects were routinely performed, and drug compliance and withdrawals were assessed. Results:Table There were no instances of significant transaminase elevations, myopathy, or rhabdomyolysis requiring drug withdrawal in either group.Inferences: In pharmacologically equipotent doses, simvastatin is more effective than pravastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia after heart transplantation. At the low doses used in our study, there are no significant clinical differences in the safety profiles of these two agents. Whether the greater efficacy of simvastatin translates into a more pronounced impact on clinical outcomes with allograft rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy remains to be determined.

A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF PRAVASTATIN AND SIMVASTATIN IN HEART TRANSPLANTATION

627 The clinical importance of lipid-lowering therapy in heart transplantation is being increasingly recognized. The purpose of our study was to investigate the comparative efficacy and safety of pravastatin and simvastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia after heart transplantation. We randomized 49 heart transplant recipients between 1995 and 1997 with sustained elevations in LDL cholesterol (> 130 mg/dl) to receive either pravastatin (n = 23; mean dose 20 ± 5 mg) or simvastatin (n = 26; mean dose 11 ± 6 mg) for at least six months. During this period, detailed lipid profiles, hepatic function tests, and creatinine phosphokinase measurements were performed at three monthly intervals. Clinical evaluations for the development of adverse effects were routinely performed, and drug compliance and withdrawals were assessed. Results:TableInferences: In pharmacologically equipotent doses, simvastatin is more effective than pravastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia after heart transplantation. At the low doses used in our study, there are no significant clinical differences in the safety profiles of these two agents. Whether the greater efficacy of simvastatin translates into a more pronounced impact on clinical outcomes with allograft rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy remains to be determined.

Lipid profiles of taste and non-taste epithelial tissues from steer tongues.

Some hypotheses on taste reception have implicated lipids of taste cells as major receptor constituents. This study reports detailed lipid profiles of the taste bud-containing epidermis from circumvallate papillae and fungiform papillae as well as profiles from two non-taste bud tissues: circumvallate papillae dermis and epidermis from the lateral posterior of the tongue. Differences in levels of triglycerides and phosphatidylcholines were observed but these were not directly related to the presence of taste buds. At this level of analysis, it is evident that there are no unusual distributions of phospholipid classes in the taste bud epidermis when compared with the non-taste bud lingual epidermis.