Plasma acylation stimulating protein, adipsin and lipids in non-obese and obese populations

Background Acylation stimulating protein (ASP) is a potent stimulator of TG synthesis in human adipocytes. Design In the present study, we have analysed plasma ASP and adipsin levels and their relationships to plasma lipids in non-obese and obese groups. Results The results show that the frequency distribution of ASP is skewed but that of adipsin is normal in both groups. In the non-obese population, the mean levels of plasma ASP and adipsin were 20.2 nmol L−1 (median) and 66.6 ± 19 nmol L−1 (mean) respectively. No difference was observed between men and women for each of the parameters. In the obese population, the median plasma ASP was increased by 246% (69.9 nmol L−1) and adipsin by 31% (87.0 ± 22.7 nmol L−1) above that of the control group. Although the levels for men and women were not statistically different for adipsin, the median ASP plasma concentration was 1.9-fold higher in obese women than in obese men (71.8 nmol L−1 vs. 37.6 nmol L−1, P