Changes in plasma endocannabinoid levels in viscerally obese men following a 1 year lifestyle modification programme and waist circumference reduction: associations with changes in metabolic risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
We previously reported that the plasma levels of the endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), in a cohort of viscerally obese men are directly correlated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) accumulation and metabolic risk factors including low HDL-cholesterol and high triacylglycerol. It is not known, however, if such correlations persist after vigorous lifestyle interventions that reduce metabolic risk factors. We analysed the changes in endocannabinoid levels in a subsample from the same cohort following a 1 year lifestyle modification programme, and correlated them with changes in VAT and metabolic risk factors.


METHODS
Forty-nine viscerally obese men (average age 49 years, BMI 30.9 kg/m(2), waist 107.3 cm) underwent a 1 year lifestyle modification programme including healthy eating and physical activity. Plasma levels of 2-AG and the other most studied endocannabinoid, anandamide, were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Anthropometric and metabolic risk factors, including VAT, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol, were measured.


RESULTS
Most risk factors were improved by the intervention, which led to a significant decrease in body weight (-6.4 kg, p < 0.0001), waist circumference (-8.0 cm, p < 0.0001) and VAT (-30%, p < 0.0001), and in plasma 2-AG (-62.3%, p < 0.0001) and anandamide (-7.1%, p = 0.005) levels. The decrease in levels of 2-AG but not those of anandamide correlated with decreases in VAT and triacylglycerol levels, and with the increase in HDL(3)-cholesterol levels. Multivariate analyses suggested that decreases in 2-AG and VAT were both independently associated with decreases in triacylglycerol.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that a strong correlation exists between 2-AG levels and high plasma triacylglycerol and low HDL(3)-cholesterol in viscerally obese men.
Di Marzo
V
V
Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Comprensorio Olivetti, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy. vdimarzo@icmib.na.cnr.it
Côté
M
M
Matias
I
I
Lemieux
I
I
Arsenault
B J
BJ
Cartier
A
A
Piscitelli
F
F
Petrosino
S
S
Alméras
N
N
Després
J-P
JP
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss
D052242:Adiponectin; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D005989:Glycerides; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; C094503:glyceryl 2-arachidonate; D002097:C-Reactive Protein