title: Does non-alcoholic fatty liver impair alterations of plasma lipoproteins and associated factors in metabolic syndrome?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatic steatosis (HS) is closely associated to metabolic syndrome (MS). Both, VLDL-triglyceride oversecretion and intrahepatic deposits, can take place. We evaluated VLDL characteristics, CETP, hepatic lipase (HL), IDL and small dense LDL (sdLDL), in patients with HS associated to MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 3 groups matched by age and sex: 25 MS patients with HS (diagnosed by ultrasonography), 25 MS patients without HS and 25 healthy controls. Main measurements were: lipid profile, free fatty acids, VLDL composition, VLDL size by HPLC, CETP and HL activities, IDL-cholesterol and sdLDL-cholesterol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with HS presented higher triglyceride levels, HOMA-IR and free fatty acids, VLDL mass and VLDL-apoB (p<0.05). No differences in VLDL composition were observed. MS groups presented higher proportion of large VLDL than controls (p<0.05). HS group showed higher CETP than controls (p=0.01) and almost higher than MS without HS (p=0.06). CETP correlated with VLDL-cholesterol content, r=0.48, p<0.005. The increase in sdLDL-cholesterol correlated with CETP (r=0.47) and HL (r=0.56), independent of insulin resistance (p<0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite intrahepatic fat, patients with HS secreted higher number of VLDL particles. CETP would have a remodeling action on VLDL in circulation, enriching it in cholesterol and also favoring, together with HL, the formation of sdLDL.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lipids and Lipoproteins, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, INFIBIOC, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.forename: Graciela I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Mabel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graffigna
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fainboim
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Miksztowicz
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gómez Rosso
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belli
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Levalle
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brites
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wikinski
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schreier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL