Metabolomic analysis reveals altered skeletal muscle amino acid and fatty acid handling in obese humans.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the effects of obesity and high-fat diet (HFD) exposure on fatty acid oxidation and TCA cycle intermediates and amino acids in skeletal muscle to better characterize energy metabolism. METHODS: Plasma and skeletal muscle metabolomic profiles were measured from lean and obese males before and after a 5-day HFD in the 4 h postprandial condition. RESULTS: At both time points, plasma short-chain acylcarnitine species (SCAC) were higher in the obese subjects, while the amino acids glycine, histidine, methionine, and citrulline were lower in skeletal muscle of obese subjects. Skeletal muscle medium-chain acylcarnitines (MCAC) C6, C8, C10:2, C10:1, C10, and C12:1 increased in obese subjects, but decreased in lean subjects, from pre- to post-HFD. Plasma content of C10:1 was also decreased in the lean but increased in the obese subjects from pre- to post-HFD. CD36 increased from pre- to post-HFD in obese but not lean subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Lower skeletal muscle amino acid content and accumulation of plasma SCAC in obese subjects could reflect increased anaplerosis for TCA cycle intermediates, while accumulation of MCAC suggests limitations in β-oxidation. These measures may be important markers of or contributors to dysregulated metabolism observed in skeletal muscle of obese humans.

Duke Scholars

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