Background/ObjectivesFatty acid handling proteins are involved in the process of accumulation of lipids in different fat tissue depots. Thus, the aim of the study was to estimate the expression of both fatty acid transport and binding proteins in the subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) of patients with morbid obesity without metabolic syndrome, as well as the plasma concentrations of these transporters.Subjects/MethodsProtein (Western blotting) and mRNA (Real-time PCR) expression of selected fatty acid handling proteins was assessed in the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue of 30 patients with morbid obesity. The control group consisted of 10 lean age-matched patients. Plasma levels of fatty acid protein transporters were also evaluated using ELISA method. Moreover, total plasma fatty acid composition and concentration was determined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC).ResultsSignificant increase in fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) mRNA (P = 0.03) and plasmalemmal (P = 0.01) expression was observed in VAT of patients with morbid obesity vs. lean subjects together with elevation of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in both examined compartments of adipose tissue. Moreover, in obese subjects plasma concentration of RBP4 was markedly elevated (P = 0.04) and sCD36 level presented a tendency for an increase (P = 0.08) with concomitant lack of changes in FABP4 concentration (P > 0.05).ConclusionsFatty acid transport into adipocytes may be, at least in part, related to the increased expression of FAT/CD36 in the VAT of morbidly obese patients, which is accompanied by augmented expression of LPL, as well as PPARγ. Probably, alternations in plasma concentrations of RBP4 and sCD36 in obese patients are associated with “unhealthy” fat distribution.

Nowadays, obesity and its complications are heavy burdens to western civilization. Surgical procedures remain one of the available therapies for obesity and obesity-associated diseases treatment. Among them, sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric procedure. Despite the well-established fact that sleeve gastrectomy results in significant weight loss, some of its other divergent effects still need to be established. To fulfill this knowledge gap, we examined whether sleeve gastrectomy affects lipid metabolism in the plasma and liver of obese rats. We demonstrated that chronic high-fat diet feeding led to an increment in the level of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin (PCSK)—a regulator of plasma cholesterol concentration—in the liver, which was decreased after the gastrectomy. Moreover, we noticed significant increases in both plasma and liver contents of free fatty acids, diacylgycerides and triacylglycerides in the obese animals, with their reduction after the bariatric surgery. In conclusion, we revealed, presumably for the first time, that sleeve gastrectomy affects lipid metabolism in the liver of obese rats.

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We studied the effect of heavy metal cations: Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺ on the activity of cathepsin D in human aorta homogenate and blood serum. The concentration of cations was 1 mmol/l. Hemoglobin was the cathepsin D substrate. The activity of cathepsin D was determined at pH 3.5. Only Hg²⁺ cations inhibit the activity of cathepsin D. Cations Hg²⁺ damage lysosomes and release cathepsin D from these organelles.