title: Race and sex differences in small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormones in overweight and obese adults.
abstract: In overweight/obese individuals, cardiometabolic risk factors differ by race and sex categories. Small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormone levels might also differ across these categories and contribute to risk factor heterogeneity. To explore this possibility, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of fasting plasma levels of 69 small-molecule metabolites and 13 metabolic hormones in 500 overweight/obese adults who participated in the Weight Loss Maintenance trial. Principal-components analysis (PCA) was used for reduction of metabolite data. Race and sex-stratified comparisons of metabolite factors and metabolic hormones were performed. African Americans represented 37.4% of the study participants, and females 63.0%. Of thirteen metabolite factors identified, three differed by race and sex: levels of factor 3 (branched-chain amino acids and related metabolites, p<0.0001), factor 6 (long-chain acylcarnitines, p<0.01), and factor 2 (medium-chain dicarboxylated acylcarnitines, p<0.0001) were higher in males vs. females; factor 6 levels were higher in Caucasians vs. African Americans (p<0.0001). Significant differences were also observed in hormones regulating body weight homeostasis. Among overweight/obese adults, there are significant race and sex differences in small-molecule metabolites and metabolic hormones; these differences may contribute to risk factor heterogeneity across race and sex subgroups and should be considered in future investigations with circulating metabolites and metabolic hormones.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center , Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Mahesh J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Bryan C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Batch
authors.forename: Laura P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Svetkey
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: Christy Boling
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Turer
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Muehlbauer
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Newgard
authors.forename: Svati H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000097:blood; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; D006728:Hormones; D007659:Ketones; C116917:acylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine