title: Serum levels of vaspin, obestatin, and apelin-36 in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: The novel adipokines vaspin, obestatin, and apelin-36 are associated with insulin resistance and the components of the metabolic syndrome. We assayed circulating levels of these molecules and examined their association with clinical, biochemical, and histologic phenotypes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Serum levels of vaspin, obestatin, and apelin-36 were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 91 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 81 controls. We analyzed associations between adipokines and the characteristics of patients with NAFLD using multivariable linear regression models. Univariable analysis showed that concentrations of vaspin and apelin-36 were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD than in controls, whereas no differences in obestatin levels were found. Serum vaspin levels showed a statistically significant association with C-reactive protein (r = 0.378, P < .001) and liver fibrosis scores (r = 0.401, P < .001), whereas apelin-36 levels showed a modest association with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (r = 0.204, P < .01). After stepwise linear regression analysis, serum vaspin levels were the only independent predictor of liver fibrosis scores in patients with NAFLD (β = 0.37, t = 3.99, P < .01). Serum vaspin levels are raised in patients with NAFLD regardless of potential confounders and represent an independent predictor of liver fibrosis scores. These findings support further investigation of this novel adipokine in metabolic liver diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Marmara University School of Medicine, Altunizade, Istanbul 34662, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bilge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yonal
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Yesim Ozen
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Alahdab
authors.forename: Cigdem Ataizi
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Celikel
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozdogan
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imeryuz
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kalayci
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Avsar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D000073861:Apelin; D001706:Biopsy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D010641:Phenotype; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C115436:APLN protein, human; D000073861:Apelin; D054439:Ghrelin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C507339:SERPINA12 protein, human; D015843:Serpins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein