INCREASED PLASMA CHOLESTERYL ESTER TRANSFER ACTIVITY IN OBESE CHILDREN

To determine whether enhanced activity of cholesteryl ester transfer p rotein (CETP) contributes to the development of atherogenic lipoprotei n profiles in obese children, plasma CETP activity was assayed accordi ng to a micro-method, by co-incubating lipoprotein-deficient samples w ith exogenous donor and acceptor lipoproteins. The study subjects were 31 obese children (14 males and 17 females). Serum levels of triglyce rides, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LD L-C), TC:high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-C, LDL-C:HDL-C, apolipoprotein (ape) B, and apo B:apo Al were increased in obese children. Thus they appeared to exhibit an atherogenic lipoprotein profile, with a relati ve decrease in cholesterol carried by HDL compared with the cholestero l in the other lipoprotein fractions. The mean fasting plasma insulin level was also increased. CETP activity was significantly higher in th e obese children than in nonobese control children, and was correlated with LDL-C, TC:HDL-C, LDL-C:HDL-C, and apo B:apo A1. These results su ggest that an increase in plasma CETP activity results in atherogenic change in lipoprotein metabolism in obese children. The increase in CE TP may be due to the adiposity or insulin resistance. Alternatively, d yslipidemia per se, physical inactivity or excessive fat intake, that are commonly found in obese children, may contribute to the increase i n CETP activity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.