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Phospholipids affect obesity, insulin resistance in young adults
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Sphingomyelins, lysophosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylcholines appear to be associated with obesity and insulin resistance independent of LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in young adults, according to recent findings.
Berthold Koletzko, MD, PhD, of Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital and Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, and colleagues evaluated data from 1,176 participants involved in the 20-year follow-up of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort study, a prospective longitudinal study of 2,900 pregnant women between 1989 and 1991.
The children born to the women in the study were followed serially and were aged 20 years at the time of the current study. A total of 175 lipid metabolites of 1,011 participants were included in the analysis.
Researchers found significant correlations between waist circumference and concentrations of sphingomyelins, lysophosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylcholine. Seven sphingomyelins and five diacylphosphatidylcholines were positively associated with waist circumference, and two lysophosphatidylcholines were negatively associated with waist circumference.
Patients with high homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values had decreased levels of two diacylphosphatidylcholines and increases in one lysophosphatidylcholine and one diacylphosphatidylcholine.
In participants with overweight or obesity, no significant associations were seen between metabolites and log-HOMA concentrations; however, a trend toward decreased lysophosphatidylcholine levels was seen. No significant interaction was seen between sex and metabolite concentration.
“Even though the pathways are not very well understood to date, the results presented here suggest that [sphingomyelins], [phosphatidylcholine] and [lysophosphatidylcholine] are associated with obesity and [insulin resistance] independent of LDL- and HDL-cholesterol,” the researchers wrote. “The underlying mechanism for the elevated [sphingomyelin] and [phosphatidylcholine] levels in human plasma could be explained by the hypothesis of lipotoxicity.” – by Jennifer Byrne
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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