title: Effects of a low-calorie diet associated with weight loss on lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity in healthy obese women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH or Lp-PLA(2)) is a Ca(2+)-independent phospholipase A(2) primarily associated in plasma with low density lipoproteins (LDL), especially with small dense LDL (sdLDL) particles. Increased plasma Lp-PLA(2) levels have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk in large clinical trials.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of weight loss on Lp-PLA(2) activity and to examine the association of Lp-PLA(2) activity changes with the alterations of sdLDL, the primary carrier of Lp-PLA(2) in plasma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight obese, non-diabetic women participated in a weight reduction program. Anthropometric parameters were assessed and parameters of glucose metabolism, lipid profile, Lp-PLA(2) activity, and LDL phenotype (using a 3% polyacrylamide gel-tube electrophoresis method), were determined at baseline and after 4months of weight loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 10% diet-induced weight loss resulted in significant improvement in most parameters of lipid and glucose metabolism. Moreover, Lp-PLA(2) activity was significantly reduced (-10.2%, p<0.01). Mean LDL particle diameter did not change after the weight loss program. The cholesterol levels of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and large-buoyant LDL particles were significantly reduced, but neither the cholesterol levels of sdLDL particles nor the % proportion of the sdLDL-cholesterol over the total LDL-cholesterol were changed after the intervention program. Interestingly, the changes in Lp-PLA(2) activity were correlated with the changes of VLDL-cholesterol (r=0.39, p<0.05), but not with the changes of anthropometric or other lipid variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low-calorie diet associated with weight loss in obese women resulted in the significant reduction of the plasma levels of Lp-PLA(2), the potentially new predictor for incident atherosclerotic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical School of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tzotzas
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Filippatos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Triantos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruckert
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Tselepis
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Kiortsis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D010316:Particle Size; D010641:Phenotype; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D054467:Phospholipases A2