Intracellular diglycerides in relation to glycaemic control in the myocardium: A pilot study in humans - 06/05/15

Doi : 10.1016/j.diabet.2015.04.002

C.A. Anastasiou ^a, A. Stamatelopoulos ^a,^b, P. Dedeilias ^b, C. Charitos ^b, L.S. Sidossis ^a,^c, S.A. Kavouras ^a,^d,^⁎
^a Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio Univeristy, 70, El. Venizelou Ave., 176 71 Athens, Greece
^b 1st Cardiac Surgery Department, Evangelismos General Hospital, Ipsilantou 47, 106 76 Athens, Greece
^c Department of Internal Medicine-Geriatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Rebeca Sealy Hospital Building 6.128, Galveston, TX 77555-0177, USA
^d Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA

^⁎Corresponding author. Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA. Tel.: +1 479 575 5309; fax: +1 479 575 5778.

En prensa. Pruebas corregidas por el autor. Disponible en línea desde el Wednesday 06 May 2015
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Abstract

Aim

Intramyocellular diglycerides have been implicated in the development of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. In the myocardium, excess lipid storage may also contribute to the appearance of diabetic cardiomyopathy, while diglycerides may have certain cardio-protective functions. However, little is known on intracellular diglyceride accumulation in the human heart. We aimed to determine diglyceride accumulation in the human myocardium in relation to diabetes status.

Methods

Six diabetic and six non-diabetic aged human subjects undergoing by-pass surgery participated in the study. Subjects were matched for age and body mass index. Intracellular diglyceride levels were measured in heart biopsy samples. Additional samples were taken from pectoralis major muscle that served as control. Whole body glycaemic control was assessed as the percent glycated haemoglobin.

Results

Intracellular diglycerides were significantly higher in the myocardium compared to pectoralis major (P<0.05). Although not statistically significant, diabetic subjects tended to accumulate smaller amounts of diglycerides compared to non-diabetic subjects in the myocardium. A linear negative correlation was observed between myocardial diglycerides and glycaemic control (r=0.632, P<0.05).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that poor glycaemic control and diabetes may be associated with a defective accumulation of myocardial diglycerides, possibly blunting intracellular processes and contributing to the development of cardiomyopathy.

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Keywords : Diabetes, Diglycerides, Heart, Insulin resistance, Myocardium

Abbreviation : BMI