title: Serum adipokines are associated with cholesterol metabolism in the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cholesterol metabolism is associated with serum adipokines and inflammatory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In fifty-eight subjects with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance and features of the metabolic syndrome cholesterol metabolism was assayed with serum non-cholesterol sterol ratios to cholesterol, surrogate markers of synthesis (cholesterol precursors) and dietary absorption % of cholesterol (cholestanol and plant sterols) and related them to serum adiponectin, leptin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adiponectin was negatively related to synthesis markers (e.g. desmosterol r=-0.371, P<0.01), and positively to absorption markers (e.g. cholestanol r=0.269, P<0.05). Leptin was associated with synthesis markers (e.g. desmosterol r=0.271, P<0.05) and negatively with absorption markers (e.g. sitosterol r=-0.278, P<0.05). Hs-CRP was negatively associated with absorption markers (e.g. sitosterol r=-0.407, P<0.001). IL-6 and TNF-alpha were not related to cholesterol metabolism. When dividing the subjects into tertiles by the serum desmosterol/cholestanol ratio, the I tertile (high synthesis/low absorption) was associated with low adiponectin concentrations, high BMI and serum leptin concentrations (P<0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP were associated with variables of cholesterol metabolism. A high ratio of cholesterol synthesis to absorption is characterized by high serum leptin and low adiponectin concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. Maarit.Hallikainen@uku.fi
authors.forename: Maarit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallikainen
authors.forename: Marjukka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolehmainen
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Laaksonen
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rauramaa
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pihlajamäki
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitupa
authors.forename: Tatu A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Miettinen
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gylling
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol