Linking circulating chemerin and adiponectin to lipoprotein subclasses measured by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in 3199 participants from the study of health in Pomerania

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BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Associations between adiponectin and chemerin with the most clinically established lipid parameters for assessing cardiovascular risk - LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides-are well documented. Since lipoproteins are heterogeneous with respect to size, density, and chemical composition, the examination of their subclasses could help to elucidate the complex interactions between adipokines and lipid metabolism. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Lipoprotein subclasses were quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in samples from 3199 participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND-0). Associations between adiponectin/chemerin and lipoprotein subclasses were analyzed using appropriately adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS: The analyses revealed a wide range of statistically significant associations between adiponectin/chemerin and lipoprotein subclasses, that were primarily in opposite directions. Higher adiponectin concentrations were, for example, related to a lower particle number and a lower cholesterol, phospholipid and triglyceride content in atherogenic small, dense LDL-particles, while positive associations were observed for chemerin. CONCLUSIONS: Our highly consistent results demonstrate that high adiponectin was associated with a favorable, anti-atherogenic lipoprotein profile, whereas the opposite was observed for chemerin. Whether these cross-sectional associations reflect causal mechanisms or alternatively, shared underlying metabolic processes, must be clarified by experimental and longitudinal research.