Age-related increase in alanine aminotransferase correlates with elevated levels of plasma amino acids, decanoylcarnitine, Lp-PLA2 Activity, oxidative stress, and arterial stiffness.

Abstract

We investigated plasma metabolite profiles that correlated with age-related serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The study included 602 healthy, nondiabetic subjects (aged 30-65 years); 393 individuals had normal ALT levels at baseline. Fifty-three (13.5%) individuals developed elevated ALT levels after 3 years. The remaining 340 subjects with normal ALT were matched to the elevated-ALT group (n = 53) for age, gender, BMI, fasting glucose, and ALT to form the control group (n = 53). At the 3-year follow-up, the elevated-ALT group exhibited greater increases in waist circumference, serum free fatty acid, ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), bilirubin, plasma oxidized LDL, Lp-PLA2 activity, urinary 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α), and brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (ba-PWV) compared to the control group after baseline adjustment. The elevated-ALT group exhibited greater increases in plasma l-valine (q = 0.036), l-leucine (q = 0.012), l-phenylalanine (q = 0.012), and decanoylcarnitine (q = 0.002). Mean ALT levels positively correlated with changes in these four metabolites, which correlated with changes in AST, GGT, Lp-PLA2 activity, urinary 8-epi-PGF2α, and ba-PWV. Mean ALT changes did not significantly correlate with HOMA-insulin resistance. These results suggest that increased plasma levels of l-valine, l-leucine, l-phenylalanine, and decanoylcarnitine precede insulin resistance during periods of elevated ALT. This metabolic disturbance coincides with enhanced risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

• Authors: Saem Jung, Oh Yoen Kim, Minjoo Kim, Juheui Song, Sang-Hyun Lee, Jong Ho Lee
• Journal: Journal of proteome research (J Proteome Res) Vol. 13 Issue 7 Pg. 3467-75 (Jul 03 2014) ISSN: 1535-3907 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24874467 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Amino Acids
• Biomarkers
• decanoylcarnitine
• Alanine Transaminase
• Carnitine

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aging (blood)
• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Amino Acids (blood)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Carnitine (analogs & derivatives, blood)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Oxidative Stress
• Prospective Studies
• Vascular Stiffness