Journal Article

Sex-Related Differences in the Associations between Adiponectin and Serum Lipoproteins in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Frank, Saša, Degoricija, Vesna, Berghold, Andrea, Kostner, Gerhard M., Madl, Tobias, Scharnagl, Hubert, Pregartner, Gudrun, Trbušić, Matias, Klobučar, Iva, Habisch, Hansjörg, Klobučar, Lucija

2024

Overview

The strong associations between the serum levels of adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses observed in healthy subjects are much weaker in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the impact of sex on these associations remained unexplored. Therefore, in the present study, we examined associations between adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses, analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, separately in healthy females and males, as well as in females and males with MS. We observed negative correlations between adiponectin and VLDL, IDL, and small-dense LDL in healthy males, but neither in healthy females nor in females or males with MS. Additionally, adiponectin was positively correlated with some HDL subclasses in healthy males and females with MS, but not in healthy females or males with MS. Adjusting for age and either body mass index, waist circumference, C-reactive protein, or interleukin-6 weakened the associations between adiponectin and VLDL and IDL but not small-dense LDL. The adjustment weakened the associations between adiponectin and HDL in healthy males but not in females with MS. Based on our results, we conclude that sex and the presence of MS are strong determinants of the associations between adiponectin and serum lipoproteins and that the complex regulatory network comprising adiponectin and other molecular players involved in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism is primarily operative in healthy males and females with MS.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Adiponectin / Age / Blood lipids / Blood pressure / Body fat / Body mass index / C-reactive protein / Creatinine / Diabetes / Females / Gender differences / High density lipoprotein / Insulin resistance / Interleukin 6 / Interleukins / Kinases / Laboratories / Lipid metabolism / lipoprotein subclasses / Lipoproteins / Lipoproteins (very low density) / Low density lipoprotein / Low density lipoproteins / Magnetic resonance spectroscopy / Males / Medical colleges / Metabolic disorders / Metabolic syndrome / NMR / NMR spectroscopy / Nuclear magnetic resonance / Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy / Physiological aspects / Serum levels / Sex differences / sex-related differences / Sexes / Type 2 diabetes