Retinol-binding protein 4 levels are elevated in polycystic ovary syndrome women with obesity and impaired glucose metabolism.
OBJECTIVE
Insulin resistance and obesity are common features of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), a new fat-derived adipokine, has been described to be elevated in obesity and type 2 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether serum RBP4 levels are correlated with metabolic parameters, indices of insulin resistance, and endocrine variables in German PCOS women.


METHODS
We assessed the correlation between metabolic and endocrine parameters with RBP4 levels in 200 PCOS patients and 64 healthy controls.


METHODS
Serum RBP4 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Immundiagnostik AG, Bensheim, Germany). In addition, anthropometric variables, clinical signs of hyperandrogenism, and body fat were evaluated, and a glucose tolerance test was performed to assess parameters of insulin resistance and glucose metabolism.


RESULTS
Taking the entire PCOS cohort, RBP4 levels were positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), body fat, waist circumference, fasting glucose, and area under the curve for glucose (all P<0.05), but not with indices of insulin resistance. On the other hand, PCOS women with impaired glucose metabolism had higher RBP4 levels than PCOS women with normal glucose metabolism (median 30.6, range 23.3-73.9 versus median 26.3, range 6.4-61.4, P<0.05). Furthermore, no differences were found in RBP4 levels between lean PCOS women and BMI-matched healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
In German PCOS women, serum RBP4 levels are associated with obesity and parameters of glucose metabolism but not with PCOS per se.
Endokrinologikum Ruhr, Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Alter Markt 4, 44866 Bochum, Germany. mail@susannehahn.com
Susanne
S
Hahn
Manuel
M
Backhaus
Martina
M
Broecker-Preuss
Susanne
S
Tan
Tiina
T
Dietz
Rainer
R
Kimmig
Markus
M
Schmidt
Klaus
K
Mann
Onno E
OE
Janssen
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D013739:Testosterone; D005947:Glucose