Interaction of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking on coronary stenosis in Japanese men

BACKGROUND: The relationship between serum adiponectin levels and coronary stenosis and the interaction of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking on coronary stenosis have not been clarified. METHODS: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to examine serum adiponectin levels and smoking in 86 male patients with coronary stenosis and 145 male controls, using multiple logistic regression analyses. Serum adiponectin levels were grouped into quartiles for the analysis of the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and coronary stenosis, and into dichotomy for the analysis of the interaction of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking status. RESULTS: Decreasing serum adiponectin levels were significantly associated with increased risk of coronary stenosis in a dose-dependent manner. As for the interaction of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking on coronary stenosis, adjusted odds ratios were 14.00 (95% Confidence Interval 5.45-37.48) among ever-smokers with low serum adiponectin levels, 3.84 (95% CI: 1.44-10.21) among ever-smokers with high serum adiponectin levels and 3.79 (95% CI: 1.38-10.45) among never-smokers with low serum adiponectin levels, compared with the reference group of never-smokers with high serum adiponectin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The interaction of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking on coronary stenosis was likely to be a synergic effect. This study suggests that the combination of low serum adiponectin levels and smoking is the most useful predictor for coronary stenosis among Japanese men.     

Serum adiponectin levels and lifestyle factors in Japanese men

Adiponectin plays an important role in the development of various lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, leading to the development of heart and vascular diseases. However, the determinants that affect circulating adiponectin levels, including lifestyle factors, have still not been thoroughly investigated, in a general male population in particular. A total of 109 healthy Japanese male subjects (mean age, 55 ± 14 years) with constant lifestyles were enrolled. All were on no medication. Fasting serum adiponectin levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Each subject's lifestyle was assessed by the self-administered Breslow Questionnaire (a well-established method to estimate various lifestyles) with minor modifications. Partial correlation analysis for serum adiponectin levels, after controlling age and all lifestyle factors, revealed a significant and independent negative correlation between serum adiponectin levels and body mass index (BMI) (r = −0.222, P = 0.025), and a significant and independent positive correlation between serum adiponectin levels and sleep duration (r = 0.252, P = 0.011). No significant correlations were observed between adiponectin and other lifestyle factors. These data suggest that increased BMI and shorter sleep duration may be significant independent risks for low serum adiponectin levels in healthy males. Therefore, these factors may be intervention targets to modulate adiponectin to its proper levels for the prevention of cardiovascular disorders.     

Association of Japanese dietary pattern with serum adiponectin concentration in Japanese adult men

Background and aimsAlthough previous studies suggest that the traditional Japanese dietary pattern is independently associated with a low cardiovascular disease mortality risk, the mechanisms mediating or linking this association are not well understood. Adiponectin has emerged as a valuable biomarker for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of present study was to evaluate whether dietary patterns are associated with serum adiponectin concentration in Japanese adult men.Methods and resultsWe designed a cross-sectional study of 702 men (median [interquartile range] age, 44.5 [37.8–54.2] years) living in Japan. Dietary consumption was assessed via a 75-item food frequency questionnaire. We used principal-components analysis to derive 3 major dietary patterns-“Japanese”, “sweets-fruits” and, “Izakaya (Japanese Pub)”- from 39 food groups. Serum adiponectin concentration was measured by using a specific sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After adjustment for potential confounders, the geometric mean (95% confidence interval) for log-transformed adiponectin concentration associated with “Japanese” dietary pattern factor score tertiles were 5.24 (4.84–5.69) for the lowest tertile, 5.82 (5.39–6.29) for the middle tertile, and 5.95 (5.47–6.46) for the highest tertile (P for trend <0.01). In contrast, a significant inverse association was found between the “Izakaya” pattern factor score tertiles and adiponectin concentration (P for trend = 0.03).ConclusionsGreater adherence to the “Japanese” dietary pattern was independently associated to a higher serum adiponectin concentration in Japanese adult men. This finding supports the hypothesis that the traditional Japanese diet may have a potentially beneficial effect on adiponectin concentrations. A long-term prospective study or randomized trials are required to clarify this causality.     

The relationship between serum resistin, leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin levels and bone mineral density in middle-aged men

OBJECTIVE: Body weight is a significant predictor of bone mass. Hormonal factors such as sex hormones, insulin, leptin and adiponectin are thought to play a role in the mechanisms controlling the association of body weight and fat mass with bone mass. However, contradictory results have been reported for the association between serum adipocytokines and bone mineral density (BMD). We therefore examined whether the serum adipocytokine and ghrelin levels, markers of fat metabolism, are associated with BMD in male adults. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: For 80 male adults (average age 54.5 +/- 6.4 years; average body mass index (BMI) 24.4 +/- 2.5 kg/m2), the correlations between serum resistin, leptin, adiponectin and ghrelin levels with BMD were investigated. RESULTS: Among the adipocytokines, serum resistin levels were negatively correlated with lumbar spine BMD (r = -0.237, P = 0.05). After adjustment was made for age and BMI, log-transformed serum leptin showed a significant negative correlation with lumbar spine BMD, which was not seen on bivariate analysis (r = -0.237, P = 0.039). Femoral neck BMD was marginally associated only with serum adiponectin levels (r = -0.226, P = 0.062). In multiple regression analyses, among the adipokines, only resistin was a significant determinant of lumbar spine BMD, although the variance was small (R2 = 0.256). Serum ghrelin levels were not correlated with the BMD of either body site. CONCLUSIONS: Serum resistin level showed a significant negative correlation with lumbar spine BMD, although the variance was small. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of adipocytokines in bone metabolism.     

Higher levels of adiponectin in American than in Japanese men despite obesity

Levels of adiponectin are inversely associated with obesity levels. We examined the levels of adiponectin in American (n = 98) and Japanese (n = 92) men aged 40 to 49 years. Contrary to our expectations, the American men had higher levels of adiponectin than the Japanese men (13.3 +/- 5.8 vs 7.3 +/- 4.2 (microg/mL) despite higher levels of obesity. Smaller areas of visceral adipose tissue in American than in Japanese men may have resulted in the higher levels of adiponectin.     

健身走运动对老年人血清脂蛋白（a）的影响

目的通过对健身走运动与老年人血清脂蛋白（a）[Lp（a）]、血脂的相关性研究,观察长期规律性的中等强度健身走运动是否具有防治动脉粥样硬化（AS）和心血管疾病（CVD）的作用。方法经体检选定江苏省徐州市区60～79岁的老年人216名,随机分为对照组（C组）和健走组（S组）。对照组不进行锻炼;健走组进行12个月健身走锻炼,运动强度：以60％～80％最大心率（HRmax）对应的运动负荷为训练强度,运动时间：40～60min／次,频率：3～4次／周。实验期间研究对象的饮食和其他生活习惯无明显变化。实验前后分别抽晨血测定血清Lp（a）、总胆同醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL—c）及低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-c）的浓度。结果与对照组实验后（C2组）和健走组实验前（S1组）相比,健走组实验后（S2组）TC水平分别降低8．3％和9．4％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;TG水平分别降低21．6％和20．3％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;血清LDL—c水平分别降低14．5％和15％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;HDL—c浓度分别升高20．7％和17．2％,差异具有高度统计学意义（P〈0．01）;Lp（a）中位数水平轻度上升,但差异无统计学意义。结论长期规律性的中等强度健身走运动可降低血清TC、TG及LDL-c水平,升高HDL—c含量,增强机体逆向转运胆固醇的能力,促进外周组织和血管中胆周醇的代谢,减少胆固醇在血管壁上的沉积,这对预防AS和CVD的发生发展具有重要的意义。血清Lp（a）中位数水平轻度升高,有利于血管微小损伤的修复。这种变化与其他血脂、脂蛋白的变化一起,对预防AS和CVD具有积极作用。     

Leptin receptor polymorphism is associated with serum lipid levels and impairment of cholesterol lowering effect by simvastatin in Japanese men

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether leptin receptor (Ob-R) Arg223Gln polymorphism influences serum lipid levels and whether this polymorphism affects the efficiency of the cholesterol lowering HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, simvastatin [Clin. Cardiol. 16 (1993) 317]. DESIGN: Case-control association study. SUBJECTS: We studied 201 Japanese men without medical care, and 78 Japanese who took simvastatin. METHODS: Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Serum lipid and leptin levels were determined. RESULTS: Subjects with the Arg/Arg homozygotes had significantly higher serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels than those with the Arg/Gln heterozygotes and Gln/Gln homozygotes (TC: Arg/Arg: 213+/-3, Arg/Gln: 196+/-6, Gln/Gln: 184+/-5, P=0.004 for comparison among three genotypes, P=0.008 for difference between Arg/Arg and Arg/Gln, and P=0.025 for difference between Arg/Arg and Gln/Gln, LDL-C: Arg/Arg: 127+/-3, Arg/Gln: 112+/-6, Gln/Gln: 114+/-8, P=0.027) for comparison among three genotypes and P=0.011 for difference between Arg/Arg and Arg/Gln. Subjects with the Arg/Arg homozygotes had significantly lower serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels than those with the Arg/Gln heterozygotes and Gln/Gln homozygotes (Arg/Arg: 55+/-1, Arg/Gln: 62+/-3, Gln/Gln: 57+/-7, P=0.046) for comparison among three genotypes and P=0.013 for difference between Arg/Arg and Arg/Gln. In addition, in 78 patients with hypercholesterolemia who took 5 mg simvastatin, the TC lowering effect by simvastatin in subjects with the Arg/Arg homozygotes was significantly lower than in those with the Arg/Gln heterozygotes and Gln/Gln homozygotes (the reduction in serum TC levels; 62+/-4 vs. 79+/-6, P=0.044). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that Ob-R Arg223Gln polymorphism in Japanese men is associated with significant elevation of serum TC and LDL-C levels. Our data also show that the Arg/Arg homozygotes tend to show lowered level of serum HDL-C. Furthermore, this polymorphism tends to show an attenuated response to an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor in terms of the cholesterol lowering effect. These results suggest that the Ob-R gene may serve as a novel modifier gene for hypercholesterolemia in Japanese men.     

Inverse correlation between serum adiponectin concentration and hepatic lipid content in Japanese with type 2 diabetes

Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-specific protein and plays an important role in insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, intramyocellular lipid content and hepatic lipid content (HLC) are related to insulin resistance in humans. In the present study, the possible relations between the serum concentration of adiponectin and intracellular triglyceride content in skeletal muscle and in the liver were investigated in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fifty Japanese sedentary subjects (34 men, 16 women) with type 2 diabetes who had neither been treated with insulin nor with thiazolidinediones were enrolled in the study. Insulin sensitivity in vivo was evaluated by measurement of the glucose infusion rate during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and of the homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance index. The intracellular triglyceride content in skeletal muscle and the liver was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance. The serum adiponectin concentration was inversely correlated with both HLC ( r = -0.39, P < .01) and the homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance index ( r = -0.32, P < .05), but it was not significantly related to either intramyocellular lipid content or glucose infusion rate during the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp in individuals with type 2 diabetes. These results suggest that adiponectin might play an important role in the regulation of HLC and basal insulin sensitivity in individuals with type 2 diabetes.     

Effect of postmenopause and hormone replacement therapy on serum adiponectin levels

Little is known about the effects of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on adiponectin production. The objectives of the study were to compare levels of serum adiponectin in post- and premenopausal women, to test whether adiponectin levels are related to endogenous estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels, to determine whether HRT influences serum adiponectin, and to investigate relationships of adiponectin levels with cardiovascular risk factors. One hundred four women matched for body mass index were enrolled in this study, and among them were 34 postmenopausal HRT nonusers, 34 postmenopausal HRT users, and 36 premenopausal healthy women with regular menstrual cycles. We evaluated waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in each women. Serum was assayed for adiponectin, estradiol, SHBG, triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose levels. Post- and premenopausal women showed no significant differences in adiponectin and SHBG concentrations. There were no differences in serum adiponectin levels between postmenopusal HRT nonusers and users; however, SHBG concentrations were higher in HRT users. The simple linear regression analyses of all studied women indicated that serum adiponectin was negatively correlated with body mass index, waist circumference, WHR, and TG levels. Positive correlation was observed between adiponectin and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as between adiponectin and SHBG levels. There were no relationships between adiponectin and estradiol levels in all studied women and among subgroups. Multiple regression analysis showed that WHR and TG were significant independent predictors of serum adiponectin. In conclusion, serum adiponectin levels are not influenced by menopausal status or serum estradiol levels. Exogenous estrogen treatment does not significantly affect serum adiponectin concentrations.     

Effects of testosterone on body composition, bone metabolism and serum lipid profile in middle-aged men: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES: Ageing in men is associated with a gradual decline in serum testosterone levels and a concomitant loss of muscle mass, accumulation of central adiposity, impaired mobility and increased risk of bone fractures. Whether androgen treatment might be beneficial in these subjects is still under debate. We have carried out a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of testosterone (T) administration to middle-aged and ageing men on body composition, muscle strength, bone density, markers of bone metabolism and serum lipid profile. DATA SOURCE: A comprehensive search of all published randomized clinical trials was performed using the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Current Contents databases. REVIEW METHODS: Guided by prespecified criteria, software-assisted data abstraction and quality assessed by two independent reviewers, 29 RCTs were found to be eligible. For each investigated variable, we reported the results of pooled estimates of testosterone treatment using the random effect model of meta-analysis. Heterogeneity, reproducibility and consistency of the findings across studies were explored using sensitivity and meta-regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 1,083 subjects were evaluated, 625 randomized to T, 427 to placebo and 31 to observation (control group). Weighted mean age was 64.5 years (range 49.9--77.6) and mean serum testosterone was 10.9 nmol/l (range 7.8--19). Testosterone treatment produced: (i) a reduction of 1.6 kg (CI: 2.5--0.6) of total body fat, corresponding to -6.2% (CI: 9.2--3.3) variation of initial body fat, (ii) an increase in fat free mass of 1.6 kg (CI: 0.6--2.6), corresponding to +2.7% (CI: 1.1--4.4) increase over baseline and (iii) no change in body weight. The effects of T on muscle strength were heterogeneous, showing a tendency towards improvement only at the leg/knee extension and handgrip of the dominant arm (pooled effect size=0.3 standard mean difference (SMD), CI: -0.0 to 0.6). Testosterone improved bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine by +3.7% (CI: 1.0--6.4%) compared to placebo, but not at the femoral neck, and produced a consistent reduction in bone resorption markers (pooled effect size = -0.6 SMD, CI: -1.0 to -0.2). Testosterone also reduced total cholesterol by 0.23 mmol/l (CI: -0.37 to -0.10), especially in men with lower baseline T concentrations, with no change in low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. A significant reduction of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was found only in studies with higher mean T-values at baseline (-0.085 mmol/l, CI: -0.017 to -0.003). Sensitivity and meta-regression analysis revealed that the dose/type of T used, in particular the possibility of aromatization, explained the heterogeneity in findings observed on bone density and HDL-cholesterol among studies. CONCLUSION: The present analysis provides an estimate of the average treatment effects of testosterone therapy in middle-aged men. Our findings are sufficiently strong to justify further interventional studies focused on alternative targets of androgenic treatment carrying more stringent clinical implications, in particular the cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological systems.     

Inverse association between circulating adiponectin levels and skeletal muscle strength in Japanese men and women

Background and aimsIncreased levels of circulating adiponectin in the elderly cause a negative impact on physical function and health status, which suggests that circulating adiponectin may be related to skeletal muscle function. However, data on the relationship between circulating adiponectin levels and skeletal muscle function is limited. Our objective was to investigate the association between serum adiponectin levels and muscle strength in adults.Methods and resultsThis cross-sectional study is a part of the Oroshisho Study of adult employees in Japan from 2008 to 2011. In our study, we used data gathered in 2008–2010 that had included serum adiponectin measurements (n = 1378; age, 19–83 years). From this population, 1259 subjects were evaluated for grip strength (949 men, 310 women), and 965 subjects were evaluated for leg extension power (716 men, 249 women). Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that adiponectin was associated significantly and negatively with both grip strength (β and standard error [SE]: men, −0.09 [0.01], p = 0.010; women, −0.20 [0.03], kg, p = 0.002) and leg extension power (men, −0.09 [0.02], p = 0.014; women, −0.14 [0.07], W, p = 0.032) after adjusting for age, physical activity, nutrient intake, depressive symptoms, metabolic syndrome, C-reactive protein, body mass index, and other lifestyle-related potential confounders.ConclusionThis population-based cross-sectional study indicates an inverse association between serum adiponectin levels and muscle strength in adults. Further studies are necessary to confirm this association and to clarify causality.     

Inverse relationship of serum adiponectin concentration with type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence in middle-aged Japanese workers: six-year follow-up

Background It was suggested that inflammation may mediate or modify biological effects of adiponectin. Few studies examined the association between circulating adiponectin levels and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) while controlling for variables related to inflammation. In addition, East Asians were reported to have lower adiponectin levels but higher diabetes prevalence at a given degree of obesity than Caucasians, raising some possibility that the adiponectin–diabetes association may differ by race. Therefore, we prospectively investigated the associations with a number of covariates including C‐reactive protein and smoking status in a cohort of Japanese workers aged 35–66 years. Methods Serum adiponectin concentration and other covariates were obtained in 2002 for 3008 civil servants free of T2DM at baseline in urban/suburban Japan. T2DM incidence was defined as the year when annually assessed fasting blood glucose level first exceeded 126 mg/dL or self‐reported initiation of medication through 2007. T2DM incidence was examined in relation to the adiponectin quintile. Results Age‐ and sex‐adjusted homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance was inversely associated with adiponectin quintiles at baseline. During six years of follow‐up, 164 individuals developed T2DM. In a fully adjusted model, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of T2DM in Q2 to Q5 compared with that in Q1 were 0.62 (0.41–0.94), 0.44 (0.25–0.77), 0.40 (0.20–0.78) and 0.85 (0.48–1.49), respectively. Conclusions Low adiponectin was related to increased incidence of T2DM independent of baseline levels of blood glucose, insulin and C‐reactive protein as well as other confounding variables in middle‐aged Japanese. Whether high adiponectin is linearly associated with decreased T2DM risk needs further investigation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cold exposure increases adiponectin levels in men

Sympathetic nerve activation is recognized at the adipose tissue level during cold exposure. Adiponectin is a key protein produced by adipose tissue, but its acute modulation remains unknown in humans exposed to cold. The aim of this study were (1) to examine the acute effects of cold exposure on circulating adiponectin and (2) to determine whether the changes are modulated by (a) an acute glucose ingestion as well as (b) a short-term modulation in carbohydrate (CHO) availability. Using a random crossover design, 6 healthy men were exposed to cold for 120 minutes with ingestion of beverages containing low (Control, 0.04 g/min) or high (High, 0.8 g/min) amounts of glucose during the course of the experiment (study 1). In study 2, 6 healthy men were exposed twice to cold for 120 minutes after equicaloric low-CHO diet and exercise and high-CHO diet without exercise. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were quantified before and during cold exposure. In study 1, adiponectin levels did not change during High, whereas a 20% rise was observed during Control (condition × time interaction, P = .06). In study 2, adiponectin levels increased by approximately 70% during cold exposure after both low- and high-CHO diets (effect of time, P < .05). A 120-minute period of cold exposure is accompanied by a significant increase in adiponectin levels in young healthy men. The rise in adiponectin levels observed during shivering is inhibited with glucose ingestion but not after diets varying in CHO content.     

Plasma total homocysteine and gallstone in middle-aged Japanese men

Background We wished to determine whether selected coronary risk factors correlated with the presence of gallstone (GS) in middle-aged Japanese men. Methods We carried out a cross-sectional study of 974 male Self-Defense officials. The odds ratio of a 1-SD increment in levels of coronary risk factors for the presence of GS was calculated in a logistic regression analysis. Results Nine subjects had undergone cholecystectomy. Gallstone was detected in 39 subjects and not in 926 subjects. The presence of GS was associated with total homocysteine (tHcy), but not with total cholesterol, triglyceride, γ-glutamyl transferase, glucose, or folate. The odds ratio of a 2.8-μmol/l increase (1 SD) in tHcy levels for the presence of GS was 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.69; P = 0.017), and the ratio was 1.33 (95% CI, 1.04–1.70; P = 0.025) after being adjusted for lifestyle factors, including cigarette smoking, vegetable intake, physical activity, and abstention from alcohol. Conclusions Plasma tHcy, but not the other coronary risk factors, correlated with the presence of GS in middle-aged Japanese men. This association may partly explain the reported high prevalence rate of coronary heart disease in subjects with GS.     

Relationship between alcohol consumption and serum lipid levels in elderly Korean men

We evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and blood lipid levels in elderly Korean men. This was a cross-sectional study consisting of men (n=1893) aged 60 years and older from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2005-2009. Demographic characteristics and dietary intake were obtained from the participants using a questionnaire, and lipid levels were determined by blood-sample analyses. After adjusting for demographic and dietary factors, alcohol consumption was negatively associated with a risk for low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p for trend<0.001), whereas the risk for high triglycerides increased with increasing alcohol consumption (p for trend=0.014). However, the odds ratios (ORs) of high non-HDL-C and the ratio of high triglycerides to HDL-C were not significantly different with alcohol drinking. These results suggest that light consumption of alcohol decreases the risk for dyslipidemia and that heavy alcohol consumption differentially affects lipid measures according to the amount of alcohol intake in elderly men.     

Longevity-associated mitochondrial DNA 5178 A/C polymorphism modulates effects of daily drinking and cigarette consumption on serum triglyceride levels in middle-aged Japanese men

Mitochondrial DNA 5178 adenine/cytosine (mt5178 A/C) polymorphism is one of the longevity-associated mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms. The frequency of the mt5178A genotype is significantly higher in Japanese centenarians than in the general population. We previously reported that serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly higher in men with mt5178A than in those with mt5178C. However, this significant difference disappeared after adjusting for drinking frequency. To investigate the interaction between mt5178 A/C polymorphism and habitual drinking on serum lipid levels, we performed an association study in 321 healthy middle-aged Japanese men. Interaction between mt5178 A/C polymorphism and daily drinking on serum triglyceride (TG) levels was observed (P=0.019). Moreover, interaction between mt5178 A/C polymorphism and cigarette consumption on serum TG levels was also observed (P=0.022). Multiple regression analysis showed that, in men with mt5178A, daily drinking decreased TG levels (P=0.025), and cigarette consumption increased TG levels (P<0.001), while in men with mt5178C, the effects of daily drinking and cigarette consumption on TG levels were unclear. No interaction was observed on other lipid levels. Longevity-associated mitochondrial DNA 5178 A/C polymorphism thus influences the effects of daily drinking and cigarette consumption on TG levels in middle-aged Japanese men.