Lipidomic profiling of plasma free fatty acids in type-1 diabetes highlights specific changes in lipid metabolism

Type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with metabolic changes leading to alterations in glucose and lipid handling. While T1DM-associated effects on many major plasma lipids have been characterised, such effects on plasma free fatty acids (FFA) have not been fully examined. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we measured the plasma concentrations of FFA species in individuals with T1DM (n = 44) and age/sex-matched healthy controls (n = 44). Relationships between FFA species and various parameters were evaluated. Plasma concentrations of myristate (14:0), palmitoleate (16:1), palmitate (16:0), linoleate (18:2), oleate (18:1c9), cis-vaccenate (18:1c11), eicosapentaenoate (20:5), arachidonate (20:4) and docosahexanoate (22:6) were reduced in the T1DM group (p
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Highlights • Plasma concentrations of major FFA species are lower in T1DM compared to controls. • Plasma FFA concentrations negatively correlates with HbA1c in T1DM. • The SCD1 index is reduced in T1DM. • Lipogenesis, elongase, n3/n6, saturated/unsaturated indices are increased in T1DM. • Collectively, the data highlight specific changes in lipid metabolism in T1DM