Collagen metabolism in obesity: the effect of weight loss.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of obesity, fat distribution and weight loss on collagen turnover using serum concentrations of the carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (S-PICP) and the aminoterminal propeptide of type III pro-collagen (S-PIIINP) as markers for collagen turnover.


METHODS
Blood samples were obtained once at baseline, and after 8 and 16 weeks of dietary treatment (5.0 MJ/day diet).


METHODS
Outpatient clinic of Hvidovre University Hospital.


METHODS
S-PICP, S-PIIINP, fat distribution and weight loss.


RESULTS
S-PIIINP was associated with body weight (r = 0.37; P = 0.004), height (r = 0.27; P = 0.04), waist circumference (r = 0.35; P = 0.007), as well as with WHR (r = 0.33; P = 0.01) and was inversely correlated to age (r = -0.40; P = 0.002). Compared with randomly selected controls from a large pool of healthy volunteers, the obese patients had elevated S-PIIINP values before as well as during weight loss, whereas S-PICP levels were within the normal range and did not correlate with any anthropometric measures. The average weight loss after 16 weeks dietary treatment was 8.1 kg (s.d. = 0.8). S-PIIINP decreased during the 16 weeks of energy restriction (P < 0.05) and changes in S-PIIINP was correlated to body weight loss (r = 0.32; P < 0.05) and to changes in waist circumference (r = 0.34; P < 0.05) as well as changes in WHR (r = 0.30; P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
S-PIIINP is elevated in obesity and associated with body fat distribution, suggesting an increased turnover of type III collagen related to obesity in general and to abdominal obesity in particular. S-PIIINP levels decreases during weight loss in obese subjects, whereas S-PICP levels seems un-related to obesity and weight loss.
Rasmussen
M H
MH
Department of Endocrinology, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jensen
L T
LT
Andersen
T
T
Breum
L
L
Hilsted
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; C042813:procollagen type I carboxy terminal peptide; D003094:Collagen