Plasma glycerophospholipid profile, erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs, and metabolic syndrome incidence: a prospective study in Chinese men and women.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Animal studies have highlighted critical roles of glycerophospholipid (GP) metabolism in various metabolic syndrome (MetS)-related features such as dyslipidemia, obesity, and insulin resistance. However, human prospective studies of associations between circulating GPs and risks of MetS are scarce. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate whether GPs are associated with incidence of MetS in a well-established cohort. METHODS: A total of 1243 community-dwelling Chinese aged 50-70 y without MetS at baseline and followed up for 6 y were included in current analyses. A total of 145 plasma GPs were quantified by high-throughput targeted lipidomics. MetS was defined using the updated National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria for Asian Americans. RESULTS: After 6 y, 429 participants developed MetS. Eleven GPs, especially those with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) or very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) at the sn-2 position, including 1 phosphatidylcholine (PC) [PC(180/226)], 9 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) [PE(160/226), PE(180/140), PE(180/181), PE(180/182), PE(180/203), PE(180/225), PE(180/226), PE(181/226), and PE(182/226)], and 1 phosphatidylserine (PS) [PS(180/180)], were positively associated with incident MetS (RRs 1.16-1.30 per SD change; Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.05). In network analysis, the strongest positive association for MetS incidence was evidenced in a module mainly composed of PEs containing C226 and PSs [RR 1.21; 95% CI 1.12, 1.31 per SD change; Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.05]. This association was more pronounced in participants with lower erythrocyte total n-3 PUFA concentrations [Bonferroni-corrected Pinter(P value for the interaction)< 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated plasma concentrations of GPs, especially PEs with LCPUFAs or VLCPUFAs at the sn-2 position, are associated with higher risk of incident MetS. Future studies are merited to confirm our findings.