title: ApoC-III and visceral adipose tissue contribute to paradoxically normal triglyceride levels in insulin-resistant African-American women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African-Americans are more insulin-resistant than whites but have lower triglyceride (TG) concentrations. The metabolic basis for this is unknown. Our goal was to determine in a cross-sectional study the effect of insulin resistance, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and the apolipoproteins, B, C-III and E, on race differences in TG content of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were 31 women (16 African-American, 15 white) of similar age (37 ± 9 vs. 38 ± 11y (mean ± SD), P = 0.72) and BMI (32.4 ± 7.2 vs. 29.3 ± 6.0 kg/m2, P = 0.21). A standard diet (33% fat, 52% carbohydrate, 15% protein) was given for 7 days followed by a test meal (40% fat, 40% carbohydrate, 20% protein) on Day 8. Insulin sensitivity index (SI) was calculated from the minimal model. VAT was measured at L2-3. The influence of race, SI, VAT and apolipoproteins on the TG content of VLDL was determined by random effects models (REM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  African-Americans were more insulin-resistant (SI: 3.6 ± 1.3 vs. 5.6 ± 2.6 mU/L-1.min-1, P < 0.01) with less VAT (75 ± 59 vs. 102 ± 71 cm2, P < 0.01). TG, apoB and apoC-III content of light and dense VLDL were lower in African-Americans (all P < 0.05 except for apoC-III in light VLDL, P = 0.11). ApoE content did not vary by race. In REM, VAT but not SI influenced the TG concentration of VLDL. In models with race, SI, VAT and all apolipoproteins entered, race was not significant but apoC-III and VAT remained significant determinants of TG concentration in light and dense VLDL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low concentrations of apoC-III and VAT in African-Americans contribute to race differences in TG concentrations.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00484861.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. AnneS@intra.niddk.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sumner
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Amber B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Courville
authors.forename: Madia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricks
authors.forename: Novie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Younger-Coleman
authors.forename: Marshall K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Tulloch-Reid
authors.forename: Frank M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sacks