The aim of this study was to detect the serum adipose
triglyceride lipase (ATGL) levels in
obesity and newly diagnosed
type 2 diabetes patients, and to explore the association between ATGL with
glucose and lipid metabolism. We enrolled 66 patients with
type 2 diabetes and 48 patients with normal
glucose regulation, who were divided into an
overweight or obese subgroup and a normal weight subgroup according to body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2). The
enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay was used to detect fasting
blood glucose, blood
lipids, fasting
insulin, and ATGL levels. The serum ATGL level in the
overweight or obese group was lower than that in the non-obese group including patients with
type 2 diabetes and normal
glucose regulation: 239 ± 61 vs 355 ± 54 mg/L and 242 ± 60 vs 383 ± 58 mg/L, respectively (t = 22.53, t = 8.23, P < 0.05). The Pearson correlation analysis showed that fasting serum ATGL was negatively correlated with body fat content, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio,
triglycerides, and the homeostatic model assessment-
insulin resistance level (r = -0.271, r = -0.238, r = -0.375, r = -0.313, and r = -0.164, respectively, P < 0.05). The stepwise regression analysis showed that the waist-to-hip ratio and body fat content were independently associated with the serum ATGL level. Our results indicated that the ATGL level may be closely related to
obesity.