title: Circulating levels of ganglioside GM3 in metabolic syndrome: A pilot study.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of metabolic syndrome. Ganglioside GM3 [α-Neu5Ac-(2-3)-β-Gal-(1-4)-β-Glc-(1-1)-ceramide] may impair insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue. We investigated the relationship between serum GM3 levels and adiposity indices, as well as between serum GM3 levels and metabolic risk variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study 1: we assessed serum GM3 levels in normal subjects and in patients with hyperglycemia and/or hyperlipidemia (HL). Study 2: we investigated the relationship between serum GM3 levels and metabolic risk variables in patients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study 1: serum GM3 levels were higher in hyperglycemic patients (1.4-fold), hyperlipidemic patients (1.4-fold) and hyperglycemic patients with hyperlipidemia (1.6-fold), than in normal subjects. Study 2: serum GM3 levels were significantly increased in type 2 diabetic patients with severe obesity (visceral fat area (VFA) >200 cm(2), BMI > 30). The GM3 level was positively correlated with LDL-c (0.403, p = 0.012) in type 2 diabetes mellitus, but not affected by blood pressure. In addition, the high levels of small dense LDL (>10 mg/dL) were associated with the elevation of GM3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum GM3 levels was affected by glucose and lipid metabolism abnormalities and by visceral obesity. GM3 may be a useful marker for severity of metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Takashige
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nihei
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagafuku
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tagami
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsunobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Shu-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugahara
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.affiliation: CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Japan. Electronic address:jin@tohoku-pharm.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Jin-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inokuchi