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Objective: Chemerin is a recently described adipokine expressed primarily in the white adipose tissue. Compared with lean subjects, circulating chemerin levels are significantly elevated in obese individuals and correlate positively with the prevalence of various cardiovascular risk factors including altered lipoprotein levels. To date, the impact of chemerin on lipoprotein subfractions and its role in atherosclerotic processes are still unclear., Patients and Methods: Fifty nondiabetic obese (NDO) patients and 38 lean controls matched in age and gender were enrolled. Chemerin level was measured by ELISA. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions were detected by nongradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint)., Results: We detected significantly higher serum chemerin levels in NDO patients compared with healthy controls (590·1 ± 190·3 ng/ml vs 405 ± 127·1 ng/ml, P < 0·001). A significant positive correlation was found between chemerin and LDL cholesterol levels, while chemerin showed a significant negative correlation with the level of HDL cholesterol. Significant positive correlation was detected between chemerin and the ratio of small dense LDL, while chemerin correlated negatively with the mean LDL size. Also, a significant negative correlation was found between serum chemerin and the ratio of large HDL subfraction, while there were significant positive correlations between chemerin levels and intermediate and small HDL subfraction ratios, respectively., Conclusion: Chemerin may be involved in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism in obese patients who do not show apparent abnormalities of glucose metabolism. Early changes in the distribution of the lipoprotein subfractions may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis, leading to increased cardiovascular risk., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background. The elevated level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome and in patients with type 2 diabetes is well established. The association of plasma PAI-1 and lipid metabolism is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between plasma PAI-1 levels and the distribution of lipoprotein subfractions in obese and lean nondiabetic individuals. Subjects and Methods. We enrolled fifty nondiabetic obese patients and thirty-two healthy volunteers. Lipoprotein subfractions were detected with Lipoprint System. Plasma PAI-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentrations were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while serum paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activities were measured by spectrophotometry. Results. The TNF-α, IL-6, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), and MPO levels were found to be significantly higher, while PON1 paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were nonsignificantly lower in the obese patients. Strong significant negative correlations were found between plasma PAI-1 concentration and mean LDL size, as well as between PAI-1 concentrations and the levels of the large and intermediate high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions. In multiple regression analysis, PAI-1 was predicted by waist circumference and intermediate HDL subfraction. Conclusion. The significant correlations between PAI-1 levels and lipoprotein subfractions indicate the link between PAI-1 and lipid metabolism in obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Selective low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is commonly used to treat patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Chemerin is an adipokine with putative roles in the regulation of lipid metabolism. Methods: In our pilot study, we measured serum chemerin levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in six severe heterozygous FH patients before and after their first LDL apheresis treatments using the technique of direct adsorption of lipoproteins (DALI). Results: The first treatment sessions decreased serum chemerin levels by an average of 27.26 %. While following one patient, 12 months of regular LDL apheresis resulted in a permanent reduction in his serum chemerin level. Changes in the lipoprotein subfractions measured by gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint) correlated with the reduction of chemerin levels. Furthermore, we eluted and then measured chemerin bound to the DALI column. Conclusion: We conclude that LDL apheresis decreases the circulating level of chemerin by binding the protein to the column and thus improves lipoprotein subfraction pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]