title: Plasma acylation stimulating protein, adipsin and lipids in non-obese and obese populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acylation stimulating protein (ASP) is a potent stimulator of TG synthesis in human adipocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we have analysed plasma ASP and adipsin levels and their relationships to plasma lipids in non-obese and obese groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that the frequency distribution of ASP is skewed but that of adipsin is normal in both groups. In the non-obese population, the mean levels of plasma ASP and adipsin were 20.2 nmol L-1 (median) and 66.6 +/- 19 nmol L-1 (mean) respectively. No difference was observed between men and women for each of the parameters. In the obese population, the median plasma ASP was increased by 246% (69.9 nmol L-1) and adipsin by 31% (87.0 +/- 22.7 nmol L-1) above that of the control group. Although the levels for men and women were not statistically different for adipsin, the median ASP plasma concentration was 1.9-fold higher in obese women than in obese men (71.8 nmol L-1 vs. 37.6 nmol L-1, P < 0.05). Best subset regression analysis provided a model with variables that best predict plasma ASP [r2 = 0.160, P < 0.008 for body mass index (BMI), P < 0.05 for triacylglycerol (TG), P < 0.03 for free fatty acid (FFA)] and plasma adipsin (r2 = 0.057, P < 0.017 for BMI) in a non-obese population. In obese subjects, the model was different for plasma ASP (P = NS for any of the variables) and plasma adipsin (r2 = 0.356, P < 0.008 for FFA, P < 0.0002 for BMI, P < 0.02 for age). There was no correlation between ASP and adipsin in either the non-obese or the obese group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data suggest involvement of the ASP/adipsin pathway in the pathogenesis of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Mike Rosenbloom Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maslowska
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phelis
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sniderman
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Rhode
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cianflone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011416:Complement Factor D; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D008055:Lipids; C044541:complement C3a, des-Arg-(77)-; D015926:Complement C3a; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C493488:CFD protein, human; D011416:Complement Factor D