Increased acylation stimulating protein concentrations in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are associated with insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE
As acylation stimulating protein (ASP) acts on adipocytes mainly as a paracrine factor to increase triglyceride synthesis and storage; hypothetically, it may play a similar role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).


METHODS
Forty-six male patients with NAFLD (group A), age-matched 30 male patients with chronic viral hepatitis (group B) and 30 age-matched and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy male subjects were enrolled in the study.


RESULTS
Among the NAFLD patients, 10 patients (24.4%) had simple steatosis and 36 patients (69.6%) had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The mean levels of ASP, complement 3, insulin, C-peptide, HOMA-IR, triglyceride, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were significantly higher in group A patients than both controls and group B. ASP levels correlated significantly in a positive manner with BMI, insulin, and HOMA-IR.


CONCLUSIONS
Dysregulation of the ASP pathway may have important metabolic consequences in NASH and is associated with insulin resistance.
Yesilova
Zeki
Z
Department of Gastroenterology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Ozata
Metin
M
Oktenli
Cagatay
C
Bagci
Sait
S
Ozcan
Ayhan
A
Sanisoglu
S Yavuz
SY
Uygun
Ahmet
A
Yaman
Halil
H
Karaeren
Necmettin
N
Dagalp
Kemal
K
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
D002096:C-Peptide; D003176:Complement C3; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides; C044541:complement C3a, des-Arg-(77)-; D015926:Complement C3a