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Biomedical subjects

S Moorjani

Publications and source records attributed to S Moorjani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Genetic aspects of susceptibility to obesity and related dyslipidemias.

Obesity has a multifactorial origin. However, although environmental variables undoubtedly play a role in the development of obesity, it is now clear that genetic variation is also involved in the determination of an individual's susceptibility to body fat accumulation. In addition, it is also widely accepted that obesity is not a single homogeneous phenotype. It is also heterogeneous regarding its causes and metabolic complications. The regional distribution of body fat appears to be an important correlate of the metabolic complications that have been related to obesity. Due to their higher accumulation of abdominal fat, men are generally more at risk for the metabolic complications of obesity than women whereas some obese women, with large gluteal-femoral adipose depots may have a cosmetic problem which may not necessarily require medical intervention. Several studies have been conducted to understand the mechanisms by which abdominal obesity is related to diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It appears that the increased risk of abdominal obesity is the result of complex hormonal and metabolic interactions. Studies in genetic epidemiology have shown that both total body fatness and the regional distribution of body fat have a significant genetic component. Standardized intervention studies using an identical twin design have shown that individuals that have the same genetic background tend to show similar changes in body fat and in plasma lipoprotein levels when exposed to standardized caloric excess or energy restriction. Finally, although abdominal obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, not every abdominal obese subject will experience metabolic complications, suggesting that some obese individuals may be more susceptible than others. Variation in several genes relevant to lipid and lipoprotein metabolism may alter the relation of abdominal obesity to dyslipoproteinemias. Abdominal obesity should therefore be considered as a factor that exacerbates an individual's susceptibility to cardiovascular disease.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Is body fat loss a determinant factor in the improvement of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism following aerobic exercise training in obese women?

Thirty-one obese, premenopausal women aged 35.4 +/- 5.1 (SD) years exercised for 90 minutes at approximately 55% of maximal aerobic power (VO2max) four to five times a week for a period of 6 months. The training program induced a significant increase in VO2max (P < .001) and significant improvements in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as reflected by decreased plasma insulin (INS) concentrations measured in the fasting state and after glucose (GLU) ingestion (INS area, P < .001), by reduced plasma cholesterol (C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (P < .001), and by increased ratios of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/LDL-C and HDL2-C/HDL3-C (P < .05 and P < .001, respectively). Changes in body fat mass were positively associated with changes in the INS area/GLU area ratio (r = .49, P < .05) and with changes in very-low-density lipoprotein triglycerides ([VLDL-TG] r = .49, P < .05). Furthermore, changes in the INS area were positively associated with changes in VLDL-TG (r = .51, P < .05). Although no significant mean change in body composition was observed, important individual variation was noted. Twenty women showed a reduction in body fat mass (mean reduction, 2.63 +/- 2.2 kg), whereas 11 women showed an increase in adipose mass (mean increase, 2.79 +/- 2.36 kg). Comparable increases in VO2max were observed between the two groups. The group that showed a decrease in body fat mass with exercise also had significant improvements in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Influence of diets containing cow's milk or soy protein beverage on plasma lipids in children with familial hypercholesterolemia.

The present article summarizes the effects of diets containing either cow's milk or soy protein beverage on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in children with familial hypercholesterolemia. After a stabilization period of 6 weeks without any hypolipemic medication, 10 subjects aged 6-12 years were randomly assigned to either cow's milk or soy protein beverage with subsequent crossover after a washout period, each of 4 weeks duration. During the experimental periods, subjects were fed diets containing 20% of energy as protein, of which 35% was from cow's milk protein or soy protein isolate, 28% of energy as fat with a polyunsaturated:monounsaturated:saturated fat ratio of 1:3:3, and less than 200 mg/day of cholesterol. The soy protein beverage, compared to cow's milk, induced significant reductions in plasma triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, indicating that consumption of soy protein beverage may be beneficial for the prevention of coronary heart disease in children with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects on plasma lipoproteins and endogenous sex hormones of substituting lean white fish for other animal-protein sources in diets of postmenopausal women.

A crossover 8-wk study was conducted to compare the effects on plasma lipoproteins and endogenous sex hormones of lean white fish (LWF) and of beef, pork, egg, and milk (BPEM) within a prudent diet in postmenopausal women. Diets provided 8050 kJ as 19% proteins, 52% carbohydrates, 29% lipids (P/M/S (proportion of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fatty acids, 1.1:1:1) and approximately 210 mg cholesterol/d. The LWF diet compared with the BPEM diet significantly induced higher concentrations of plasma cholesterol, LDL-apo B, HDL-C, and HDL3-C, indicating that incorporation of LWF as a substitute for BPEM in a low-fat, high-P:S diet offers little benefit with regard to plasma cholesterol and LDL-apoB in postmenopausal women. Moreover, the LWF diet significantly increased plasma SHBG, suggesting that the divergent effects of substituting LWF for other animal-protein sources on plasma cholesterol and lipoproteins may be partly mediated by variations in plasma sex-hormone status.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Visceral obesity in men. Associations with glucose tolerance, plasma insulin, and lipoprotein levels.

The relations of regional adipose tissue (AT) distribution measured by computed tomography (CT) to plasma insulin-glucose homeostasis and lipoprotein-lipid levels were studied in 58 obese and 29 lean control men. In the group of obese men, the visceral AT area measured by CT was positively correlated with fasting plasma triglyceride and insulin levels and with glucose and insulin areas under the curves measured during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Visceral AT area was also negatively associated with plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and HDL2 cholesterol levels. The relative accumulation of abdominal fat, estimated by the ratio of abdominal to femoral AT areas obtained by CT, was also a significant correlate of indices of carbohydrate metabolism and was the best univariate correlate of plasma lipoprotein levels. No significant associations were observed between the visceral AT area, the ratio of abdominal to femoral AT areas, and indices of carbohydrate and lipoprotein metabolism in the group of lean men. On the other hand, the subcutaneous abdominal AT area was a significant correlate of the glucose area under the curve in both groups of men, but this association was not independent from the percentage of total body fat. No relationship was observed between the femoral AT area and indices of carbohydrate metabolism in either lean or obese groups. In obese men, however, the femoral AT area was negatively correlated with plasma triglyceride concentration and positively correlated with plasma HDL and HDL2 cholesterol levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗
PubMed1992

Adipose tissue lipolysis after long-term overfeeding in identical twins.

Ten pairs of young male sedentary, non-obese, monozygotic (MZ) twins, aged 21 +/- 2 years (mean +/- s.d.), were overfed for a period of 100 days during which they ingested 4.2 MJ (1000 kcal) per day above their individual energy needs, 6 days per week. There was a mean 8.4 kg increase in body weight and the average gain in body fat reaches 5.6 kg (P less than 0.0001). A biopsy of subcutaneous abdominal fat was performed, before and after the treatment, to determine fat cell weight as well as basal and catecholamine stimulated lipolyses from collagenase isolated adipocytes. Although analysis of variance revealed an increase in abdominal fat cell weight, no significant changes were noted in basal and catecholamine-stimulated lipolyses, due to large variation among individuals, results being expressed either per cell number or corrected for cell surface area. However, significant intrapair resemblance was observed in the changes of basal and epinephrine stimulated lipolyses (ri of about 0.60 in both cases), suggesting a concordant within-pair response, despite large between-pair variation. These results support the notion that the genotype may play an important role in regulating the response of abdominal adipose cells lipolytic activity to caloric excess.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

Effects of a soy-protein beverage on plasma lipoproteins in children with familial hypercholesterolemia.

The effects of soy protein (35% of protein energy) given as a beverage and those of cow-milk proteins were investigated on plasma lipoprotein concentrations in children with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Subjects were randomly assigned to either the soy-protein or cow-milk-protein experimental period, with subsequent crossover after a washout period, each period lasting 4 wk. Diets were planned to provide 20% energy as protein, 28% as fat (polyunsaturated:monounsaturated:saturated fatty acids, 1:3:3) and less than 200 mg cholesterol/d. No changes were observed in either plasma cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, or apolipoprotein concentrations. However, the soy beverage significantly reduced the concentrations of triglyceride and very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.05) and significantly increased the concentrations of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL3-C (P less than 0.04 and P less than 0.03, respectively). These results indicate that the administration of soy protein may induce clinically beneficial effects in children with FH.

Apolipoproteins↗
PubMed1991

Regional variation in adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase activity: association with plasma high density lipoprotein levels.

The associations of adipose tissue lipoprotien lipase (AT-LPL) activity with body fatness and plasma lipoprotein levels were studied in the light of the recently described regional differences in AT-LPL activity. In this regard, heparin-releasable LPL activity was measured in abdominal and femoral adipose tissues of 29 pre-menopausal women. Body fatness variables were all positively correlated with abdominal and femoral AT-LPL activities expressed per 10(6) cells. However, abdominal and femoral AT-LPL activities expressed per unit of cell surface displayed divergent association patterns with body fatness and plasma lipoprotein levels. Indeed, only abdominal AT-LPL activity remained significantly correlated with body fatness variables after adjustment for fat cell surface. Furthermore, whereas abdominal AT-LPL activity tended to be negatively correlated with plasma HDL-cholesterol levels, femoral AT-LPL activity was positively correlated with plasma HDL2-cholesterol (r = 0.40, P less than 0.05) concentration and with the HDL2-cholesterol/HDL3-cholesterol ratio (r = 0.49, P less than 0.01). These results demonstrate the importance of taking into account the regional variation in metabolic activity of adipose tissue when studying its associations with body fatness, and with plasma lipoprotein levels. The lack of association between abdominal AT-LPL activity and plasma HDL2-cholesterol levels lead us to suggest that AT-LPL activity may not be causally related with plasma HDL levels.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

Loss of abdominal fat and metabolic response to exercise training in obese women.

Numerous studies have shown that a high accumulation of abdominal fat is associated with metabolic complications and with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. The present study examined the effects of changes in body fatness and in the level of abdominal fat on metabolic variables in a sample of 13 obese premenopausal women, aged 38.8 +/- 5.3 (SD) yr. Women exercised for 90 min at approximately 55% of maximal aerobic power (VO2 max) four to five times a week for a period of 14 mo. The training program induced a significant increase in VO2 max and a mean reduction in body fat mass of 4.6 kg (P less than 0.01), with no change in fat-free mass. Measurement of adipose tissue areas by computed tomography indicated a greater loss of abdominal fat compared with midthigh adipose tissue (P less than 0.05). The training program also produced significant reductions in the insulinogenic index measured during an oral glucose tolerance test and in plasma cholesterol (Chol), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-Chol, and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels (P less than 0.05). Training also significantly increased plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-apo A-I and HDL2-Chol levels and decreased plasma HDL3-Chol concentration (P less than 0.05). Whereas no change in postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase activity was noted, a significant decrease in postheparin plasma hepatic triglyceride lipase activity was observed after training (P less than 0.005). Metabolic responses were not correlated with changes in VO2 max but were significantly correlated with the reduction in body fat mass and/or with the loss of deep abdominal fat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

A hepatic lipase gene mutation associated with heritable lipolytic deficiency.

Absent hepatic lipase (HL) activity results in dyslipidemia and premature atherosclerosis. DNA sequencing of the HL gene from subjects with heritable HL deficiency identified a new C to T substitution within exon 8 that in the mature enzyme caused a threonine to methionine change at position 383 (T383M). With a rapid DNA detection method we observed that all 6 individuals with complete HL deficiency from 2 families had the T383M mutation. None of 50 random unrelated unaffected subjects had this mutation. We propose that T383M is specific to families with heritable HL deficiency. Furthermore, structural variation at the HL gene, possibly in combination with other factors, appears to be etiologic in HL deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Changes in plasma lipoprotein and apolipoprotein composition in relation to oral versus percutaneous administration of estrogen alone or in cyclic association with utrogestan in menopausal women.

Sixty-three postmenopausal women were assigned to four treatment groups and received either Premarin or percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol (Oestrogel) alone or in combination with micronized progesterone (Utrogentan). The oral administration of estrogen alone to hysterectomized women resulted in: 1) a significant increase in triglyceride levels in plasma and all major lipoprotein fractions, 2) a significant increase in very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, 3) a significant decrease in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol but not LDL apo B concentration, 4) a significant increase in all the lipid components of high density lipoprotein (HDL) as well as apo AI, 5) and a significant increase in HDL2 cholesterol. In contrast, percutaneous administration of estrogen to hysterectomized women only increased HDL2 cholesterol and the triglyceride and cholesterol content of the whole HDL fraction. These results suggest that the route of estrogen administration is important in determining effects on lipoprotein metabolism. The same two estrogens were given to women with natural menopause, along with utrogestan, a micronized progesterone. The simultaneous administration of Utrogestan reversed the HDL cholesterol elevating effect of percutaneous estrogen alone, but it had no effect on other plasma lipoproteins. On the other hand, utrogestan in combination with oral estrogen had several potential beneficial effects on plasma lipoproteins. This combination did not negate the effects of oral estrogen alone on HDL, rather it further increased the concentrations of HDL cholesterol and apo AI. It also did not negate the LDL cholesterol lowering effect of oral estrogen alone. Furthermore, utrogestan lowered the magnitude of hypertriglyceridemia induced by oral estrogen alone. These results suggest that Utrogestan has lower potency of androgenic action and has desirable effects when given in cyclic combination with estrogen.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1991

Contribution of glucose tolerance and plasma insulin levels to the relationships between body fat distribution and plasma lipoprotein levels in women.

Numerous interrelated metabolic and morphological variables such as plasma insulin levels, glucose tolerance and abdominal obesity are associated with changes in plasma lipoprotein levels. The present study was undertaken to differentiate, using a multivariate approach, the respective contributions of plasma glucose and insulin levels, obesity and regional adipose tissue distribution to the variance in plasma lipoproteins. The study group was composed of 69 healthy premenopausal women (age 35.4 +/- 5.0 years (mean +/- s.d.); percent body fat 40.7 +/- 10.1). Indices of carbohydrate metabolism showed significant univariate correlations with triglyceride (TG) and/or cholesterol (CHOL) content of plasma VLDL, LDL and HDL (P less than 0.05). Multivariate analyses indicated that the explained variance in plasma VLDL-TG (R2 x 100 = 44 percent, P less than 0.05) and LDL-apoprotein (apo) B levels (R2 x 100 = 33.1 percent, P less than 0.08) was entirely accounted for by indices of carbohydrate metabolism and body fat distribution, whereas total body fatness added no significant contribution to these models. Multivariate analyses also revealed that the best possible regression model to predict the variation in plasma HDL2-CHOL levels only included computed tomography-derived deep abdominal adipose tissue area (P less than 0.0001). All other variables were unable to further improve the explained variance in plasma HDL2-CHOL levels. In partial correlation analyses, indices of carbohydrate metabolism and the waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR) remained significantly correlated with plasma VLDL-TG and LDL-apo B levels after adjustment of VLDL-TG and LDL-apo B for either insulin and glucose levels, or for the WHR (P less than 0.08). After correcting for deep abdominal fat accumulation, no significant correlation was observed between indices of carbohydrate metabolism and plasma HDL2-CHOL levels whereas deep abdominal fat showed significant correlations with HDL2-CHOL levels (P less than 0.05) after correction for indices of carbohydrate metabolism. These results suggest that both disturbances in glucose-insulin homeostasis and abdominal obesity are significantly associated with changes in plasma VLDL-TG and LDL-apo B levels and that these associations are partly independent from each other. These results also indicate that mechanisms other than disturbances in glucose homeostasis and hyperinsulinemia are responsible for the association between the level of deep abdominal fat and plasma HDL2-CHOL levels.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

Normalization of the metabolic profile in obese women by exercise and a low fat diet.

This study was performed to evaluate the additive effect of exercise and a low fat diet on body weight, body composition, and the metabolic profile in four obese women who were previously exercise-trained for 15 months. This study therefore included regular aerobic exercise for 15 months and a low fat diet plus exercise for an additional period of 14 months. After 15 months, mean body weight and fat losses corresponded to 6.4 and 8.4 kg, respectively. Significant reductions (P less than 0.05) in plasma insulin, cholesterol, apo B, and LDL-C were also observed. Following the second part of the study, mean cumulative body weight and fat losses were 11.0 and 11.3 kg, respectively. At this time, the subjects were still overweight, but their plasma glucose and insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test were essentially similar to values obtained in a sample of 22 nonobese women. With the exception of plasma apo B and HDL-C levels, plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were also comparable to those observed in nonobese controls. These results thus indicate that aerobic exercise-training and a low fat diet can normalize the metabolic profile of obese women, even if their adiposity remains higher than that of lean women.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1990

The response to long-term overfeeding in identical twins.

We undertook this study to determine whether there are differences in the responses of different persons to long-term overfeeding and to assess the possibility that genotypes are involved in such differences. After a two-week base-line period, 12 pairs of young adult male monozygotic twins were overfed by 4.2 MJ (1000 kcal) per day, 6 days a week, for a total of 84 days during a 100-day period. The total excess amount each man consumed was 353 MJ (84,000 kcal). During overfeeding, individual changes in body composition and topography of fat deposition varied considerably. The mean weight gain was 8.1 kg, but the range was 4.3 to 13.3 kg. The similarity within each pair in the response to overfeeding was significant (P less than 0.05) with respect to body weight, percentage of fat, fat mass, and estimated subcutaneous fat, with about three times more variance among pairs than within pairs (r approximately 0.5). After adjustment for the gains in fat mass, the within-pair similarity was particularly evident with respect to the changes in regional fat distribution and amount of abdominal visceral fat (P less than 0.01), with about six times as much variance among pairs as within pairs (r approximately 0.7). We conclude that the most likely explanation for the intrapair similarity in the adaptation to long-term overfeeding and for the variations in weight gain and fat distribution among the pairs of twins is that genetic factors are involved. These may govern the tendency to store energy as either fat or lean tissue and the various determinants of the resting expenditure of energy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Correlates of plasma very-low-density lipoprotein concentration and composition in premenopausal women.

Potential correlates of plasma very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentration and composition were studied in a sample of 75 premenopausal women. Fasting plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels, as well as plasma glucose and insulin levels in the fasting state and during an oral glucose tolerance test, displayed significant positive correlations with plasma triglyceride (TG) and VLDL-TG levels (P less than .005). Plasma post-heparin lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, measured in a subsample of 31 women from the original sample, was negatively correlated with plasma TG, VLDL-cholesterol (CHOL), VLDL-TG, and VLDL-apolipoprotein (apo) B concentrations (.005 greater than P less than .05). Multivariate analyses showed that, after LPL was considered, the insulin area was the only other metabolic variable studied that was significantly correlated with VLDL-apo B concentration, whereas fasting FFA levels were significantly correlated with plasma TG and VLDL-TG levels. ANOVA revealed that plasma VLDL-CHOL, VLDL-TG, and VLDL-apo B levels were not associated with the glucose area, but were significantly associated with the insulin area (P less than .005). When the effect of insulin area was controlled for, the plasma FFA levels did not contribute significantly to the variance in VLDL-CHOL and VLDL-apo B, but showed an independent effect on VLDL-TG levels (P less than .05). Finally, stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that once the variance explained by plasma LPL activity and by the insulin area was considered, no other metabolic variable could account for the variation in VLDL-CHOL and VLDL-apo B levels, whereas fasting FFA levels explained a further 5% of the VLDL-TG variance and one third of the variance observed in the VLDL-TG/apo B ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Abdominal fat cell lipolysis, body fat distribution, and metabolic variables in premenopausal women.

It is well established that abdominal obesity is related to numerous metabolic abnormalities and that this correlation represents a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease and related mortality. In the present study the relationships among the regional distribution of body fat, selected metabolic variables, and abdominal adipose cell lipolysis were investigated in 30 premenopausal women, 34 +/- 8 yr (mean +/- SD) of age, with body mass indices ranging from 17-45 kg/m2. Basal as well as epinephrine- and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolyses were positively correlated with fasting plasma insulin and triglyceride levels (0.48 less than r less than 0.64; 0.05 greater than P less than 0.0005 and 0.46 less than r less than 0.60; 0.05 greater than P less than 0.005, respectively) and with the insulin area measured during an oral glucose tolerance test (0.49 less than r less than 0.67; 0.005 greater than P less than 0.0005). With the exception of epinephrine-stimulated lipolysis, these correlations remained significant when lipolysis was corrected for cell surface area. Basal and maximal epinephrine- and isoproterenol-induced lipolyses were also negatively related to plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.52 less than r less than -0.36; 0.05 greater than P less than 0.005). However, these relationships were no longer significant after control for fat cell surface. The associations between abdominal lipolysis and fat distribution did not remain significant when data were adjusted for total adiposity. Taken together, these results support the notion that variations in abdominal adipocyte lipolysis 1) depend more on total body fatness than on fat distribution, and 2) may be involved in the metabolic complications associated with abdominal obesity, particularly those pertaining to plasma insulin and triglyceride metabolism.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1990

First coronary heart disease event rates in relation to major risk factors: Quebec cardiovascular study.

The incidence of first coronary heart disease (CHD) events was evaluated prospectively in relation to the baseline measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, smoking status and education in a cohort of 4576 Quebec men aged 35 to 64 and free from CHD at entry in 1974. From 1974 to 1986, 603 first CHD events were documented. The most frequent first manifestation was angina (6.7/1000 person-years) followed by nonfatal myocardial infarction (4.7/1000) and CHD death 2.2/1000). There was a positive relationship between the first CHD event and systolic (Z = 4.67) and diastolic (Z = 6.50) blood pressure. This relation was observed for angina, nonfatal myocardial infarction and CHD death. Serum cholesterol was also related to all events (Z = 4.99) but more specifically to angina and nonfatal myocardial infarction. Cigarette smoking was significantly related to first CHD manifestations. This relationship for specific CHD events was observed in men who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. Men who discontinued smoking one year before the study had a risk not different from those who never smoked. No relationship was observed between years of schooling and CHD events. Blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking constituted nearly two-thirds of the attributable risk of first CHD events.

Adult↗