title: Serum resistin and hepatic fat content in nondiabetic individuals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum resistin concentration is increased in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in proportion with the histological severity of the disease, but the relevance of the contribution of fatty liver per se is undetermined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between serum resistin and the degree of ectopic fat accumulation in vivo in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hepatic fat (IHF) content, measured quantitatively by means of 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy, serum resistin, and biochemical and hormonal metabolic correlates of fatty liver and insulin resistance were assessed in 28 affected patients, and 47 individuals with comparable anthropometric features served as controls. Insulin sensitivity was estimated using the computer homeostatic model assessment (HOMA)-2. A subset of volunteers (n = 18) also underwent 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the calf muscles to assess the intramyocellular lipid content (IMCL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In patients with fatty liver, the IHF content (13 +/- 8 vs. 2 +/- 1% wet weight; P < 0.0001) and also the soleus IMCL content (P < 0.05) were increased in comparison with the controls. Patients with fatty liver had lower insulin sensitivity (HOMA2 insulin sensitivity: 59 +/- 24 vs. 72 +/- 29%; P < 0.04), serum resistin (3.4 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.9 +/- 1.0 ng/ml; P < 0.02), and adiponectin (P < 0.01) concentrations. Serum resistin was inversely correlated with the IHF content (r = -0.35; P < 0.003) and the soleus IMCL content (r = -0.51; P < 0.05) but not HOMA2 insulin sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that excessive ectopic fat accumulation in the liver and skeletal muscle of insulin-resistant subjects is associated with lower serum resistin concentration and not with hyperresistinemia.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Section of Nutrition/Metabolism and Unit of Clinical Spectroscopy, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy. perseghin.gianluca@hsr.it
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perseghin
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lattuada
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Cobelli
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ntali
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burska
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belloni
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Canu
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ragogna
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scifo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Maschio
authors.forename: Livio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luzi
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000032:analysis; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D052243:Resistin