[The role of free and esterified fatty acids in pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome].

Patients with insulin resistance and those with metabolic syndrome (MS) in the absence of alteration of glucose-insulin homeostasis were found to have abnormal composition of plasma free fatty acids (FA) and lipid FA in erythrocytes. Patients with metabolic syndrome and different glucose-insulin homeostasis accumulated polyenic FA and lost saturated FA in plasma; saturated FA in their erythrocytes increased while polyunsaturated FA decreased. These findings suggest disturbed receptor-mediated active transport of FA and the predominance of passive absorption of free FA by cells as a cause of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinism.