Fig 1.
LE and lipoaspirate tissue samples.
(A) Left arm LE, (B) Left leg LE, (C) LE AT liposuction aspirate and (D) Normal non-LE (cosmetic surgery) AT liposuction aspirate, showing presence of liquid oil (Oil) and solid fat (Fat). Also evident is the aqueous layer of the saline wash within the cosmetic surgery aspirate.
Table 1.
Study cohort characteristics.
Fig 2.
Total Serum Lipids and Lipid Transport Molecules.
(A) Box and whisker plots of total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and calculated LDL-cholesterol, and (B) Total serum lipoprotein apoprotein A1 and apolipoprotein B, from LE patient (n = 15) and normal cohort (n = 11) peripheral blood samples. The line within each box indicates the global median value calculated from the cohort. The generally accepted population normal range (NR) is shown within each graph (vertical line, right hand side). Statistical significance (p value) between LE and Normal (non-LE) are also shown, as determined by two-tailed t-test, not assuming equal variance.
Fig 3.
AT Diacylgleycerides (DAGs) and Triacyglycerides (TAGs).
(A) DAG lipids and (B) TAG lipids in LE AT versus cosmetic surgery AT lipoaspirate fat (Fat) or the liquid fat oil (Oil). Data shown are ratios of LE compared to Normal non-LE AT, calculated from means ± SD of log transformed median-normalised relative abundance. Dotted line indicates ± 0.1-fold difference; Poly-unsaturated lipds with ≥ 3 unsaturated bonds (white fill) or containing C20:5-based lipids (grey fill), compared to saturated, mono- or di- saturated lipids (back fill). Statistical significance as noted (*), p < 0.05, based on two-tailed unpaired students t-test, irrespective of whether the difference is ±0.1 with respect to normal AT. (C) Total number of poly-unsaturated versus combined unsaturated plus mono- or di- unsaturated lipids in LE and non-LE oil and fat AT.
Fig 4.
(A) Box and whisker plots of relative abundance (median-normalised log transformed data) of individual fatty acid species found to be statistically significantly altered and > ± 0.1-fold altered in LE patient AT fat or fat oil (grey) compared to normal AT fat or fat oil (black) (Lipid species referred to with Cx:y namenclature to define the total number of carbons in the fatty acid chain and double bonds). (B) Ratio of C20:4 arachidonic acid and C20:5 eicosapentaenoic acid relative to their precursors, C18:2 and C18:3 linolenic acids, respectively. Statistical significance as noted, determined by two-tailed students t-test with p < 0.05 not assuming equal variance, or no significant difference (ns) detected.
Table 2.
Correlation analysis of altered AT fatty acids and phospholipid abundance with LE years.
Fig 5.
Box and whisker plots of relative abundance (median-normalised log transformed data) of individual lipid species for the major phospholipid types: cholesterol esters (CE), phosphotidylcholines (PC) and ceramindes (Cer, including hexaceramides HexCer). m/z values are also shown, note that CE species detected as ammonium adducts (NH4+) while PC and Cer are detected as protonated species (H+); See S3 Data File for a full list of all phospholipid species detected. Statistical significance as noted, determined by two-tailed students t-test with p < 0.05 not assuming equal variance, or no significant difference (ns) detected.