%0 Journal Article
%T Plasma Levels of Acylation-Stimulating Protein Are Strongly Predicted by Waist/Hip Ratio and Correlate with Decreased LDL Size in Men
%A Jumana Saleh
%A Rabab A. Wahab
%A Hatem Farhan
%A Issa Al-Amri
%A Katherine Cianflone
%J ISRN Obesity
%D 2013
%R 10.1155/2013/342802
%X The association of abdominal obesity with cardiovascular risk is often linked to altered secretion of adipose-derived factors and an abnormal lipid profile including formation of atherogenic small dense low density lipoprotein particles (sdLDL). Acylation-stimulating protein (ASP) is an adipose-derived hormone that exhibits potent lipogenic effects. Plasma ASP levels increase in obesity; however, the association of ASP levels with body fat distribution is not yet established, and no study to date has investigated the association of ASP with LDL size. In this study, we examined the association of ASP levels with abdominal obesity measures and the lipid profile including LDL size in 83 men with a wide range of abdominal girths. Regression analysis showed that waist/hip ratio was the main predictor of ASP levels (¦Â = 0.52, ), significantly followed by decreased LDL size. BMI and TG levels, although positively correlated with ASP levels, were excluded as significant predictors in regression analysis. No correlation was found with LDL-C or apoB levels. ASP levels were 62.5% higher in abdominally obese compared to nonobese men. Waist/hip ratio presenting as the main predictor of ASP levels, suggests increased ASP production by abdominal fat which, as proposed previously, may result from resistance to ASP function causing delayed TG clearance and subsequent formation of atherogenic sdLDL. 1. Introduction The link between abdominal (omental) obesity and cardiovascular risk is well recognized. The dyslipidemic profile of abdominal obesity, and its association with atherogenic risk [1, 2] is attributed to insulin resistance and altered secretion of fat derived factors including fatty acids and adipokines such as adiponectin, leptin, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [3]. Acylation-stimulating protein (ASP) is another adipokine that was isolated based on its function as a potent fat storage factor. ASP was shown to be comparable to insulin in its fat storing stimulatory effect [4]. Abundant in vivo and in vitro evidence linked ASP function to enhanced triglyceride clearance by promoting fatty acid trapping and fat storage in adipocytes by activating the rate-limiting enzyme for TG synthesis, diacylglycerol acyl transferase [5]. Insulin, on the other hand, activates lipoprotein lipase releasing fatty acids for uptake by adipocytes and inhibits hormone-sensitive lipase which catalyzes fat hydrolysis from adipocytes. ASP acts in a manner that is independent but additive to insulin [6]. ASP levels were shown to increase in obese and hyperlipidemic
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.obesity/2013/342802/