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these classes can be further refined by improved separation procedures, and intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) and subdivisions of the HDL (e.g. HDL1, HDL2, HDL3 and so forth

Density is determined largely by the relative concentrations of triacylglycerols and proteins and by the diameters of the broadly spherical particles

Lipoproteins are spherical (VLDL, LDL, HDL) to discoidal (nascent HDL) in shape with a core of non-polar lipids, triacylglycerols and cholesterol esters, and a surface monolayer, ~20Å thick, consisting of apoproteins, phospholipids and non-esterified cholesterol, which serves to present a hydrophobic face to the aqueous phase

the various lipid components should not be considered as absolute, as they are in a state of constant flux

Apo A1 is the main protein component of HDL

Apo A2 is the second most important HDL apolipoprotein

the main groups are classified as chylomicrons (CM), very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL), based on the relative densities of the aggregates on ultracentrifugation

The lipoproteins can be categorised simplistically according to their two main metabolic functions. The principal role of the chylomicrons and VLDL is to transport triacylglycerols ‘forward’ as a source of fatty acids from the intestines or liver to the peripheral tissues. In contrast, the HDL remove excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues and deliver it to the liver for excretion in bile in the form of bile acids (‘reverse cholesterol transport’). While these functions are considered separately here for convenience, it should be recognised that the processes are highly complex and inter-related, and they involve transfer of apoproteins, enzymes and lipid constituents among the heterogeneous mix of all the lipoprotein fractions.

In adipocytes, cortisol inhibits lipid mobilization in the presence of insulin, thus leading to triglyceride accumulation and retention.

Since the density of GC receptors is higher in intra-abdominal (visceral) fat than in other fat depots, the activity of cortisol leading to accumulation of fat is accentuated in visceral adipose tissue (24, 158), providing a mechanism by which excessive endogenous or exogenous GC lead to abdominal obesity and IR

obese patients generally have normal or subnormal plasma cortisol concentrations

This may be explained by an increased intratissular/cellular concentration of cortisol in adipose tissues

Intracellular GC may be produced from recycling of GC metabolites such as cortisone in adipose tissues

Local GC recycling metabolism is mediated by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes (11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2

Cortisol also increases 11β-HSD1 expression in human adipocytes

In humans, elevated 11β-HSD1 expression in visceral adipose tissue is also associated with obesity

even if obese patients generally have normal or subnormal plasma cortisol concentrations (131, 158), triglyceride accumulation in visceral adipose tissue may be due, at least in part, to the local production of GC in insulin- and GC-responsive organs such as adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle