title: Plasma phospholipid transfer protein activity is inversely associated with betaine in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The choline metabolite, betaine, plays a role in lipid metabolism, and may predict the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) require phosphatidylcholine as substrate, raising the possibility that there is an intricate relationship of these protein factors with choline metabolism. Here we determined the relationships of PLTP and LCAT activity with betaine in subjects with and without T2DM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma betaine (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), PLTP activity (liposome-vesicle HDL system), LCAT activity (exogenous substrate assay) and (apo)lipoproteins were measured in 65 type 2 diabetic (T2DM) and in 55 non-diabetic subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PLTP and LCAT activity were elevated in T2DM (p < 0.05), whereas the difference in betaine was not significant. In age-, sex- and diabetes status-controlled correlation analysis, betaine was inversely correlated with triglycerides and positively with HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05 to 0.01). PLTP and LCAT activity were positively correlated with triglycerides and inversely with HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05 to 0.001). PLTP (r = -0.245, p = 0.006) and LCAT activity (r = -0.195, p = 0.035) were correlated inversely with betaine. The inverse association of PLTP activity with betaine remained significant after additional adjustment for body mass index and lipoprotein variables (β = -0.179, p = 0.034), whereas its association with LCAT activity lost significance (β = -0.056, p = 0.44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Betaine may influence lipoprotein metabolism via an effect on PLTP activity.
authors: Department of Endocrinology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, Groningen, 9700 RB, The Netherlands. r.p.f.dullaart@umcg.nl.
authors: R P F
authors: RP
authors: Dullaart
authors: LipoScience, Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors: Erwin
authors: E
authors: Garcia
authors: LipoScience, Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors: Elias
authors: E
authors: Jeyarajah
authors: Departments of Endocrinology and Nephrology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Eke G
authors: EG
authors: Gruppen
authors: LipoScience, Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors: Margery A
authors: MA
authors: Connelly
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001622:Betaine / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000097:blood; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D001622:Betaine; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase
keywords: Betaine; Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase; Lipoproteins; Phospholipid transfer protein; Type 2 diabetes mellitus