Epidemiological studies demonstrate an inverse correlation between plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration and incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The antiatherogenic role of HDL has been attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic and antioxidant properties, besides its participation in the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), whereby cholesterol from peripheral tissues (including macrophages of the arterial intima) is delivered to the liver for excretion in bile. Due to these actions, HDL-C has evolved as an attractive target for prevention of CVD. However, the failure of […]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between adiponectin and metabolic parameters in severely obese women during surgical-induced weight loss. METHODS: Nineteen lean (CT – BMI:21.2 ± 0.3 kg.m2), 14 overweight/class II obese (OB/OW – BMI: 29.7 ± 0.7 kg/m2) and 8 morbidly obese (OBIII – BMI: 56.4 ± 3.6 kg/m2) were evaluated by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, adiponectin, and lipids. OBIII were evaluated at 5th and 16th month post-operatively. RESULTS: Compared to lean, obese groups had lower adiponectin (OB/OW: 9.4 ± 0.9, OBIII: […]

INTRODUCTION: People with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and may still have a normal lipid profile. In order to clarify whether normal HDL cholesterol levels may conceal defects in HDL function, we have studied the transfer of lipids to HDL in T1DM. METHODS: Twenty-one young women with T1DM were compared with 21 non-diabetic women. Nanoemulsion preparations were used as lipid donor to HDL: one labeled with 3H-triglycerides and 14C-free cholesterol and the other […]