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Plasma total cysteine is a determinant of adiposity in healthy adolescents living in the Republic of Seychelles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2012

A. J. McAfee ,
M. S. Mulhern ,
P. M. Ueland ,
E. M. McSorley ,
J. M. W. Wallace ,
G. E. Watson ,
G. E. Myers ,
E. van Wijngaarden ,
C. Shamlaye  and
P. W. Davidson
...Show all authors
A. J. McAfee
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK
M. S. Mulhern
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK
P. M. Ueland
Affiliation:
Section for Pharmacology, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
E. M. McSorley
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK
J. M. W. Wallace
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK
G. E. Watson
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA
G. E. Myers
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA
E. van Wijngaarden
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA
C. Shamlaye
Affiliation:
Ministry of Health, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
P. W. Davidson
Affiliation:
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY, USA
J. J. Strain
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, University of Ulster, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, UK
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 71 , Issue OCE2: Summer Meeting hosted by the Irish Section, 16–19 July 2012, Translational nutrition: integrating research, practice and policy , 2012 , E125
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012

Plasma total cysteine (tCys) has recently been found to be positively associated with BMI and fat mass in large longitudinal studies( Reference Elshorbagy, Nurk and Gram Gjesdal 1 , Reference Elshorbagy, Valdivia-Garcia and Graham 2 ). Unlike other plasma amino acids, which are elevated in obesity, plasma tCys is suggested to be a determinant rather than a symptom of obesity, albeit through unconfirmed mechanisms( Reference Aasheim, Elshorbagy and My Diep 3 ). The aim of the current study was to investigate associations between plasma tCys, along with other sulphur amino acids (SAA), and measures of adiposity in healthy adolescents aged 19–20 years and currently enrolled in the Seychelles Child Development Study.

Data previously collected from this cohort (n=549; m=252, f=297) include BMI, waist circumference (WC) and % body fat. Fasting blood samples were previously collected from which plasma concentrations of SAA (homocysteine (tHcy), methionine, tCys and cystathionine) and plasma lipids were analysed. In this cohort 18%, 61%, 12% and 9% subjects were classified according to their BMI (kg/m2) as being underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese respectively. Multiple linear regression analyses were carried out using adiposity measures as the dependent variable and SAA as the independent variable. Adjustments were also made for sex, participant education and plasma total cholesterol.

Model 1 was an unadjusted regression; Model 2 adjusted for sex, participant education and plasma total cholesterol. Significant results (p<0.05) are bolded.

After adjusting for covariates, plasma tCys remained a significant positive predictor of BMI, WC and % body fat and plasma tHcy remained a significant negative predictor of BMI. These results indicate that plasma tCys is associated with adiposity while plasma tHcy is associated with lower BMI in healthy young adults living in the Republic of Seychelles. In agreement with other studies, these effects were independent of plasma cholesterol and other plasma SAA( Reference Elshorbagy, Nurk and Gram Gjesdal 1 , Reference Elshorbagy, Valdivia-Garcia and Graham 2 ). Further research is needed to clarify the possible mechanisms involved in explaining a relationship between plasma tCys and adiposity.

This work was supported by grants from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institutes of Health and the Government of Seychelles.

References

1. Elshorbagy, AK, Nurk, E, Gram Gjesdal, C et al. (2008) Am J Clin Nutr 88, 738–46.Google Scholar
2. Elshorbagy, AK, Valdivia-Garcia, M, Graham, IM et al. (2011) Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, ahead of print, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2011.01.008 Google Scholar
3. Aasheim, ET, Elshorbagy, AK, My Diep, T et al. (2011) Br J Nutr 106, 432–440.Google Scholar