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Potential Role Of Tnfα And Lipoprotein Lipase As Candidate Genes For Obesity, Philip A. Kern

Clinical and Translational Science Faculty Publications

To maintain body weight, metabolic efficiency was promoted during evolution; two candidate genes for body weight regulation are lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and tumor necrosis factor-α [TNFα). Human fat cells do not synthesize lipid, but rely on LPL-mediated plasma triglyceride hydrolysis. Adipose LPL is elevated in obesity. Following weight loss, LPL is elevated further, suggesting attempts to maintain lipid stores during fasting and to replenish lipid stores during refeeding. Muscle LPL is regulated inversely to adipose LPL. Thus, an increased adipose/muscle LPL ratio would partition dietary lipid into adipose tissue and would explain some of the variability in weight gain when …