Studied of very low density lipoprotein triglyceride metabolism in an obese population with low plasma lipids: lack of influence of body weight or plasma insulin.

Pima Indians have a high prevalence of hyperinsulinemia, obesity, and diabetes, but they have low plasma cholesterol levels, reduced low density lipoprotein synthesis, and little arteriosclerotic heart disease. To investigate lipoprotein metabolism further in this group, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) metabolism was studied, using [3H]glycerol as an endogenous precursor of triglyceride (TG) synthesis, in 15 obese Pima nondiabetic males and compared to that of 10 obese and 13 normal weight, normolipidemic, nondiabetic Caucasian males. The resultant kinetic data were analyzed using a multicompartmental model which includes two pathways for VLDL-TG synthesis and a process of stepwise delipidation for VLDL catabolism. As compared to obese Caucasians, the obese Pimas had a lower rate of VLDL-TG synthesis, and a lower proportion of slow pathway for synthesis. The fractional catabolic rate in the Pimas was higher than in either Caucasian group, a larger proportion of VLDL-TG was delipidized at each step, and particle residence time was shorter. When the relation between VLDL-TG metabolism and plasma insulin was examined, plasma insulin levels in the Pima were not correlated with VLDL-TG synthetic rates, catabolic rates, or plasma pools. On the other hand VLDL-TG synthetic rates were correlated with plasma free fatty acid levels. Thus, in this population with low plasma lipids and reduced arteriosclerotic heart disease, VLDL-TG synthesis is low, VLDL-TG catabolism is accelerated, and VLDL pools appear to be insensitive to the influence of body weight and hyperinsulinemia.