Retinol-binding protein-4 in women with untreated essential hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) is a novel adipokine able to modulate the action of insulin in several tissues. A variable degree of insulin resistance characterizes the vast majority of hypertensive (HYP) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between RBP4 and essential hypertension, exploring potential links between RBP4 and other adipokines with some proxies of early vascular damage in female naive HYP patients.


METHODS
Serum RBP4, leptin, adiponectin, and resistin levels were determined in 35 HYP and 35 normotensive lean women with normal glucose tolerance paired by age and body mass index (BMI) served as controls (CTL); carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was also measured.


RESULTS
A striking difference was observed in RBP4 levels between HYP and CTL with significantly higher levels in the former than in the latter. No relationship was observed between glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and RBP4. Adiponectin levels were slightly but significantly lower in HYP than in CTL, whereas no differences were observed in resistin and leptin concentrations between the two groups of women. In the whole study group, a strong linear relationship was observed between IMT value and both RBP4 (rho = 0.321, P = 0.0076) and resistin (rho = 0.340, P = 0.0048); these two adipocytokines, together with cholesterol, were the only variables independently related to IMT (r(2) = 0.24; P = 0.004) by a stepwise analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
RBP4 levels are increased in naive HYP women and correlated with the degree of IMT suggesting a participation of this adipocytokine in the modulation of the atherosclerotic process exerted by the adipose tissue as endocrine organ.
Solini
Anna
A
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. a.solini@med.unipi.it
Santini
Eleonora
E
Madec
Stephanie
S
Rossi
Chiara
C
Muscelli
Elza
E
D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000032:analysis*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology
D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma