title: A comprehensive study of serum odd- and branched-chain fatty acids in patients with excess weight.
abstract: While small amounts of odd-chain fatty acids (OCFAs) and branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) were known to be present in mammals, it was quite recently that they were shown to play an important role in human health. However, still little is known on OCFA and BCFA profiles in subjects who have obesity. The aim of this study was to verify whether obesity is associated with changes in serum OCFA and BCFA profiles.
  
  
  
  Serum content of fatty acids was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy in 23 patients with excess weight and 21 nonobese controls.
  
  
  
  Six OCFAs and six BCFAs (three iso-BCFAs and three anteiso-BCFAs) were found in sera from the examined subjects. Patients with excess weight presented with significantly lower serum iso-BCFA levels than the controls. Total serum content of iso-BCFAs correlated inversely with serum insulin, triglycerides, and 18:1/18:0 desaturation index. Both OCFA and iso-BCFA levels correlated inversely with C-reactive protein concentration.
  
  
  
  Lower iso-BCFA content in patients with excess weight may be involved in elevation of serum concentration of triglycerides and inflammation. Decreased contents of iso-BCFAs in subjects with have obesity, and established anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties of these fatty acids, point to potential beneficial effects of an iso-BCFA-rich diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mika
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stepnowski
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaska
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Proczko
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sledzinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sledzinski
mesh_terms: D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000597:Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein