Influence of adiponectin gene polymorphisms in Japanese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the adiponectin gene have been reported to be associated with insulin resistance and the prevalence of type-2 diabetes. We investigated the SNPs of adiponectin in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.


METHODS
One hundred nineteen patients histologically diagnosed as having NAFLD and 115 control subjects were examined. Adiponectin SNP sites were investigated at +45 of exon 2 and at +276 of intron 2; these sites have been thought to be associated with diabetes or insulin resistance.


RESULTS
Regarding the +276 SNP, the frequency of G/G tended to be higher in NAFLD patients than in controls, but not significantly. Among females only, however, the G/G frequency was significantly higher in NAFLD patients. As for the +45 SNP, in the severe fibrosis group, the frequency of G/G homozygotes was significantly higher than that in the mild fibrosis group, and G/G homozygotes of the +45 SNP proved by multivariate analysis to be an independent factor in severe fibrosis. In NAFLD patients with adiponectin +45 G/G, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance was significantly higher than in NAFLD patients without adiponectin +45 G/G.


CONCLUSIONS
Adiponectin SNPs were found to be associated with the progression of liver fibrosis and insulin resistance, suggesting that adiponectin SNPs might play roles in the occurrence and progression of NAFLD.
Tokushige
Katsutoshi
K
Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8666, Japan. ktoku@pg7.so-net.ne.jp
Hashimoto
Etsuko
E
Noto
Haruka
H
Yatsuji
Satoru
S
Taniai
Makiko
M
Torii
Nobuyuki
N
Shiratori
Keiko
K
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D007564:Japan; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin