Increased acylation stimulating protein levels in young obese males is correlated with systemic markers of oxidative stress

Objective As little is known about relationship between acylation stimulating protein (ASP) and oxidative stress, whether there is any link between ASP and oxidative stress in young obese males were investigated. Design and Methods Forty-five obese (median body mass index (BMI) = 36.99 (IQR = 3.65) kg m−2) male subjects (median age = 22 (IQR = 6) years) and 24 age-matched (median age = 22.5 (IQR = 4.8) years) healthy male volunteers (median body mass index (BMI) = 23.67 (IQR = 2.45) kg m−2) were recruited into the study. All obese subjects have BMI > 30 kg m−2, while all controls have BMI < 25 kg m−2. Results Fasting plasma ASP, lipid hydroperoxide, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fasting insulin, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol levels and HOMA-IR were higher, whereas the mean HDL-cholesterol levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activity were significantly lower in obese subjects than controls. The linear regression analysis showed that lipid hydroperoxide was independently associated with only BMI, while ASP was independently associated with BMI and triglyceride. Conclusions The present data support the concept that obesity occurs under condition of compex interactions by adipokines, insulin, inflammation, and oxidative stress.