Georgopoulos, Angeliki, M.D.

ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM/NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY

The current research interests of Dr. Georgopoulos include 2 areas: • Postprandial lipoprotein metabolism and nutrition in diabetes The effect of nutrition in the metabolism of fasting and postrprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in diabetic subjects is being assessed. Studies have been carried out in people with diabetes to investigate the effects of low fat/high carbohydrate (CHO) diets on the atherogenic potential of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. In collaboration with Drs. Gannon and Nuttall, studies are being carried out to compare the metabolism of postprandial lipoproteins in Type 2 diabetic patients on a high protein/low or high fat /low CHO vs. a usual protein/ low fat/ high CHO diet. • Functional genetic polymorphisms and dyslipidemia or atherosclerosis. The effect of the codon 54 polymorphism of the intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein 2 (FABP2) on the development of fasting and postprandial hypertriglyceridemia/dyslipidemia in diabetes is being evaluated. This polymorphism is associated with increased intestinal input of triglyceride. We reported that it is associated with fasting and postprandial hypertriglyceridemia/dyslipidemia in Type 2 but not Type 1 diabetes. Analysis of the VA-HIT trial showed that the FABP2 polymorphism is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular endpoints in patients with diabetes. Studies have been carried out in collaboration with other investigators to assess the relationship of the codon 54 FABP2 polymorphism and 2 apoC-III promoter polymorphisms with dyslipidemia in a South Indian population without diabetes. An increased risk for the presence of the polymorphisms with dyslipidemia was observed.