Blood Perilipin A Levels In Diabetic Patients At Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Abstract

Perilipins are phosphoproteins that are found in fat cells where they are restricted at the uppermost layer of lipid droplets. Over-expression of perilipin proteins in fat cells cause the storage of triacylglyceride (TAG) to increase in connection with a reduction in fats and lipd breakdown that causes increases in weight and type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. There are two types of perilipin which have a common N-teminal amino acids sequence which are perilipin A (PLIN 1) and perilipin B (PLIN 2). PLIN1 is the prevailing form found in fat cells. PLIN1 protein is highly seen in human fat tissue and individual with increased in weight (obese subjects) had higher levels of PLIN1 than the lean subjects .The research aimed at measuring blood perilipin A levels in non-obese diabetic patients and obese diabetic patients. A total of 86 subjects including controls were recruited (42 obese diabetic case subjects and 42 non-obese diabetics as controls).Anthropometric measurement such as visceral and body fats was measured using digital body sensor .Human perilipin 1 ELISA kit was used to determine the levels of perilipin in both subjects. Lipid profile was determined using Mindray BS-120 fully automated chemistry analyzer as well as glycated hemoglobin was also measured. The mean age for the non-obese diabetic study group and obese diabetic group were 46.8 ± 8.2 and 47.5 ± 6.7 years respectively. The mean age difference between non-obese diabetics subjects and obese diabetics subjects was found insignificant (p=0.607). High mean differences in body mass index (BMI) was observed in the obese diabetics than in the non-obese diabetics (p<0.0001).The results in visceral and body fat was found to be significantly higher in case subjects than in the control subjects. (p<0.0001). The result in perilipin A levels between case subjects and control subjects was insignificant (p>0.6353) but perilipin A level was found to be increased in Non-obese diabetic patients(117.2 +47.3) than Obese diabetic patients (109.1+ 36.9). The difference observed in the levels of perilipin A between male and female subjects was not significant (p>0.7353).The levels of perilipin was found to be higher in male than in female subjects. In conclusion, the levels of blood perilipin A observed in non-obese diabetic subjects were not significantly different from the obese diabetic subjects.