Decreased plasma lipoprotein lipase in hypoadiponectinemia: an association independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE
Adiponectin is a plasma protein expressed in adipose tissue. Hypoadiponectinemia is associated with low HDL cholesterol and high plasma triglycerides, which also characterize lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency syndromes. Recently, dramatically increased LPL activity was reported in mice overexpressing adiponectin. We therefore speculated that adiponectin may directly affect LPL in humans.


METHODS
We measured plasma adiponectin and postheparin LPL in 206 nondiabetic men and in a second group of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes. Parameters were correlated with markers of systemic inflammation (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and insulin resistance (homeostatis model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]).


RESULTS
Nondiabetic subjects with decreased plasma adiponectin had lower LPL activity (r=0.42, P <0.0001). This association of plasma adiponectin with LPL activity was confirmed in the second group of patients with type 2 diabetes (r=0.37, P <0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that adiponectin was the strongest factor influencing LPL activity, accounting for 23% of the variation in LPL activity in nondiabetic subjects and for 26% of the variation in LPL activity in type 2 diabetic patients. These associations were independent of plasma CRP and HOMA-IR.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate an association of decreased postheparin LPL activity with low plasma adiponectin that is independent of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. Therefore, LPL may represent a link between low adiponectin levels and dyslipidemia in both nondiabetic individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes.
von Eynatten
Maximilian
M
Department of Medicine I (Endocrinology and Metabolism), University of Heidelberg, INF 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. maximilian.eynatten@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Schneider
Jochen G
JG
Humpert
Per M
PM
Rudofsky
Gottfried
G
Schmidt
Nikolaus
N
Barosch
Patrizia
P
Hamann
Andreas
A
Morcos
Michael
M
Kreuzer
Joerg
J
Bierhaus
Angelika
A
Nawroth
Peter P
PP
Dugi
Klaus A
KA
D052242:Adiponectin; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D052242:Adiponectin; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase