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Fatty acid handling protein expression in adipose tissue, fatty acid composition of adipose tissue and serum, and markers of insulin resistance

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 1406–1413 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Proteins involved in cellular fatty acid (FA) uptake and metabolism may be of relevance in the context of disturbed FA metabolism associated with insulin resistance. Therefore this study investigated relationships between FA handling protein mRNA expression in adipose tissue, FA composition of adipose tissue and serum, and markers of insulin resistance.

Subjects:

75 subjects with a range of insulin sensitivities recruited from a cohort of 294 healthy 63-year-old Swedish men.

Measurements:

Anthropometric and biochemical variables (e.g. waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index of insulin sensitivity), FA composition of the subcutaneous (s.c.) gluteal adipose tissue, serum nonesterified FA (NEFA) and serum phospholipid compartments (by gas–liquid chromatography; n=294), and mRNA levels of FA handling proteins (adipocyte and keratinocyte lipid binding proteins, fatty acid transport protein (FATP) −1 and −4, CD36/fatty acid translocase, plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein, and acyl-CoA synthase-1 (ACS1)) in s.c. gluteal adipose tissue (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; n=75).

Results:

ACS1 expression was negatively correlated with measures of insulin resistance and central obesity (ACS1 versus HOMA: r=−0.28, P<0.05; ACS1 versus WHR: r=−0.23, P<0.05), with an opposite trend for FATP4. Further analysis of ACS1 expression levels revealed correlations with adipose tissue 16:0 (r=−0.27, P<0.05) and NEFA 16:1 (r=0.29, P<0.05), FA composition variables which in turn correlated with HOMA index (r=0.39, P<0.001 and r=−0.23, P<0.05, respectively, n=75). Moreover, NEFA 16:1 predicted ACS1 expression independently of HOMA, WHR and adipose tissue 16:0 in multiple regression analysis (standardized coefficient=0.27, P<0.05).

Conclusion:

Significant associations were found between measures of insulin sensitivity, adipose tissue FA handling protein expression, and specific FA composition variables. Although causal relationships could not be identified these findings suggest a role of FA handling proteins in relation to insulin sensitivity, via their involvement in FA trafficking and metabolism. In particular they indicate links between ACS1 activity, the distribution of 16:0 and 16:1, and insulin sensitivity, which may be of physiological relevance.

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Accession codes

Accessions

GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ

Abbreviations

ACS1:

acyl-CoA synthase-1

ALBP:

adipocyte lipid binding protein

BMI:

body mass index

CE:

cholesteryl ester

CoA:

coenzyme-A

FABP:

fatty acid binding protein

FATP:

fatty acid transport protein

HDL:

high-density lipoprotein

HOMA:

homeostasis model assessment

KLBP:

keratinocyte lipid binding protein

LDL:

low-density lipoprotein

NEFA:

nonesterified fatty acid

PL:

phospholipid

SAD:

sagittal abdominal diameter

SFA:

saturated fatty acid

TG:

triglyceride

VLDL:

very low-density lipoprotein

WHR:

waist-hip-ratio

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (project 15352), the Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg Foundation, the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, the Swedish Institute, the Swedish National Network and Graduate School for Cardiovascular Research, the Professor Nanna Svartz Foundation, the Åke Wiberg Foundation, the Nilsson-Ehle Foundation, the Fredrik and Ingrid Thuring Foundation, the Gamla Tjänarinnor Foundation, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Dairy Association, the Stockholm County Council, and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustaf V Research Institute, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    K Gertow, P Sjögren, P Eriksson, A Hamsten, M-L Hellenius & R M Fisher

  2. Division of Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    M Rosell & U de Faire

  3. Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden

    B Vessby

  4. Laboratory of Cellular Biology and Biochemistry of Atherothrombosis, Monzino Cardiology Centre, Milano, Italy

    K Gertow

  5. Department of Clinical Sciences, Centre for Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    M-L Hellenius

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Correspondence to R M Fisher.

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Guarantors: K Gertow and RM Fisher.

Contributors: MR, PS, PE, BV, UdF, AH, M-LH.

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Gertow, K., Rosell, M., Sjögren, P. et al. Fatty acid handling protein expression in adipose tissue, fatty acid composition of adipose tissue and serum, and markers of insulin resistance. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 1406–1413 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602471

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602471

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