Hyperinsulinemia and abdominal obesity affect the expression of hypertriglyceridemia in heterozygous familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency

We have reported three missense mutations (G188E, P207L, and D250N) in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene among French-Canadians, resulting in the absence of measurable postheparin plasma LPL activity in homozygotes. Presence of triglyceride-and cholesterol-rich VLDL, as well as cholesterol-poor HDL particles, has been shown in heterozygotes affected by partial reduction in postheparin LPL activity. However, significant heterogeneity in their plasma triglyceride levels has been found, even among individuals carrying the same LPL gene mutation, indicating that factors other than LPL deficiency could affect the phenotypic expression of hypertriglyceridemia in the heterozygous state. The aim of the present study was to examine the combined effects of abdominal fat accumulation and hyperinsulinemia on plasma triglyceride levels among heterozygous patients for familial LPL deficiency. Based on sex and BMI, 43 heterozygotes (25 women and 18 men) were matched with noncarrier control subjects. Our data indicate that heterozygotes with higher abdominal fat deposition, as defined as waist girth values above the 50th percentile, had higher plasma triglyceride levels than nonobese heterozygotes. However, an important proportion of male heterozygote subjects were hypertriglyceridemic, even in absence of abdominal obesity, suggesting that another factor(s) was involved in the modulation of hypertriglyceridemia in these subjects. Indeed, multivariate analyses revealed that fasting hyperinsulinemia was a significant correlate of hypertriglyceridemia among these heterozygotes. Results of the present study indicate that abdominal obesity and hyperinsulinemia both have deleterious effects on plasma triglyceride levels in familial LPL deficiency. It is suggested that heterozygotes with moderate obesity and/or insulin resistance may be at higher risk of coronary artery disease because of the expression of an atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype among these patients.