ABSTRACT. To study postheparin plasma lipase activities into the circulation (2). Triglycerides in chylomicrons and very in nonfed newborn infants immediately after birth and to low-density lipoproteins of plasma are hydrolyzed by lipoprotein investigate the possible influence of fetal hyperinsulinemia lipase (3, 4). The lipase is located on the vascular endothelial on lipoprotein lipase activity, we measured lipoprotein and surface of adipose and muscle tissue. It is released into the hepatic lipase activities in 55 macrosomic newborn infants: circulation by heparin. Heparin also releases hepatic lipase from group I consisted of 21 infants born to mothers with insulin-the vascular endothelial surface of the liver. In contrast to lipodependent diabetes. The infants were hyperinsulinemic at protein lipase, the function of hepatic lipase in lipoprotein mebirth and had hypoglycemia and poor lipolysis at the age tabolism has not been fully established (4,5). of 2 h. Group I1 consisted of 18 infants born to mothers On the basis of animal experiments, lipoprotein lipase activity with gestational diabetes. Group I11 consisted of 16 large-of newborn infants has been suggested to be low at birth and to for-date infants born to nondiabetic mothers. The mean increase postnatally (1, 6, 7). If so, infants at birth might be postheparin plasma lipoprotein lipase activities at 2 h of incapable of using fat effectively for energy. Previously, we have age were similar (mean 36 pmol free fatty acids/ml/h; SEM shown that at the age of 1 to 4 days postheparin plasma lipopro-15) in groups 1-111. Lipoprotein lipase activity correlated tein lipase is already at the adult level in breast-milk-fed term negatively with cord-serum triglycerides (range 0.13-1.2 and preterm infants; their hepatic lipase activity is about three mmol/liter) but did not correlate with serum insulin (range times the adult value (8, 9). On the other hand, we found that 5.4-524 pU/ml) or C-peptide (range 0.6-21.0 pglliter). lipoprotein lipase activity increases during the first days of life Hepatic lipase activity was somewhat higher in group I whereas hepatic lipase activity remains unchanged in infants (mean 68 pmol free fatty acids/ml/h; SEM 23) than in receiving fat-containing parenteral nutrition (10). groups I1 and I11 (mean 55 pmol free fatty acids/ml/h; Fetal hyperinsulinemia is associated with macrosomia, hypo-SEM 14). Hemoglobin Alc was the only important factor glycemia, and inhibition of lipolysis in infants born to diabetic explaining the difference in hepatic lipase activities be-mothers (1 1). In adults, insulin is known to induce lipoprotein tween groups. Lipoproteins and apolipoproteins A-I, A-11, lipase (3, 12), and lipoprotein lipase activity of adipose tissue has and B were similar in all three groups. We conclude that been reported to be high in obese adults whose basal serum in large-for-date infants lipoprotein lipase is active at birth insulin level is elevated (13,14). This suggests that fetal hyperwithout exogenous fat induction, and tha...