[Adipsin system--acylation-stimulation protein (ASP) and hyperapo-B]

Acylation Stimulating Protein (ASP) is a small basic protein which was isolated from the human plasma and which has been shown to be the most potent stimulant yet discovered of triglyceride synthesis. The initial observation were made in vitro, but there is now in vivo evidence that the adipsina-ASP system has an important regulatory role in triglyceride clearance from plasma. Studies in normals have shown that the higher the fasting and the peak ASP plasma levels are after an oral fat load, the faster the triglyceride clearance from plasma. Moreover, decreased function of the adipsina-ASP system appears to lead to increased delivery of free fatty acids and triglyceride-rich chylomicron remnants to the liver with a consequent increase in the rate of secretion of B100 lipoprotein particles. That is to say, defective function of this system is one of the causes of hyperapoB which in turn is one of the commonest dyslipoproteinemias associated with premature coronary artery disease.