Elevated plasma level of visfatin/pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
Visfatin (also known as pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor or PBEF) is a cytokine that is highly expressed in visceral fat and whose blood levels correlate with obesity. Originally isolated as a secreted factor that promotes the growth of B cell precursors and recently found to act as an insulin analog on the insulin receptor, its pathophysiological role in humans remains largely unknown.


OBJECTIVE
In this study we investigated whether plasma visfatin level is altered in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).


METHODS
Plasma visfatin as well as adiponectin and resistin concentrations were measured through ELISA in type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic subjects.


RESULTS
A total of 61 patients with T2DM and 59 sex- and age-matched nondiabetic subjects were studied. Plasma visfatin was found to be elevated in patients with T2DM (31.9 +/- 31.7 vs. 15.8 +/- 16.7 ng/ml, P = 0.002). In contrast, adiponectin was decreased (4.3 +/- 2.5 vs. 30.8 +/- 10.3 microg/ml, P < 0.001), whereas plasma resistin level did not differ between the groups. Increasing concentrations of visfatin were independently and significantly associated with T2DM. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed visfatin as an independent association factor for T2DM, even after full adjustment of known biomarkers. The association between adiponectin and T2DM was no longer significant after adjustments for body mass index or waist to hip ratio. In a multiple linear regression analysis, only waist to hip ratio was independently associated with plasma visfatin level.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that visfatin may play a role in the pathogenesis of T2DM.
Chen
Miao-Pei
MP
Department of Clinical Research, Pingtung Christian Hospital, Pingtung, 90000 Taiwan.
Chung
Fu-Mei
FM
Chang
Dao-Ming
DM
Tsai
Jack C-R
JC
Huang
Han-Fen
HF
Shin
Shyi-Jang
SJ
Lee
Yau-Jiunn
YJ
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D052242:Adiponectin; D016207:Cytokines; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D052243:Resistin; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human