Acquired obesity associated with changes in lipid metabolism independent of genetic effects

Whereas environmental/lifestyle factors are well established factors in the development of obesity, genetic variation also determines individual susceptibility to body fat accumulation and dyslipidaemia severity. To assess whether acquired obesity is associated with changes in serum lipid profiles independent of genetic factors, 14 healthy young monozygotic (MZ) twins discordant for obesity were compared with 10 weight concordant control pairs. Insulin sensitivity was determined by the euglycaemic clamp technique, body composition by DEXA and by MRI. To examine the lipid phenotypes of the twin pairs, the Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/MS) with a lipidomics-based strategy was performed. Independent of genetic changes, acquired obesity primarily related to increases in lysophosphatidylcholines, constituents of an atherogenic proinflammatory and proatherogenic lipid profile and decreases in ether phospholipids, lipids with anti-oxidative properties. Furthermore, these lipid changes were associated with insulin resistance.

Abstract