title: Contribution of zinc deficiency to insulin resistance in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: The relationship between metabolic abnormalities of trace elements and insulin resistance has been established. Recent studies have revealed that insulin resistance is associated with autoimmune responses. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between zinc or copper metabolism and insulin resistance in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Sixteen patients with PBC were divided into two groups: early and advanced stage disease. The overall value of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in patients with advanced stage PBC was significantly higher than that in patients with early stage PBC, although the mean value in advanced stage PBC was significantly lower than that in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis. There was an inverse correlation between serum zinc concentrations and HOMA-IR values in patients with PBC, while we found no correlation between serum copper levels and HOMA-IR values. HOMA-IR values were inversely associated with peripheral platelet counts, indicating the relationship between insulin resistance and hepatic fibrosis. These results suggest that zinc deficiency plays important roles of insulin resistance and subsequent hepatic fibrosis in patients with PBC, although insulin resistance in advanced stage PBC was significantly milder than that in HCV-related liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medicine, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1, Ikenobe, Miki-Cho, Kita-Gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan. thimoto@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himoto
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoneyama
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurokochi
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inukai
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masugata
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goda
authors.forename: Reiji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haba
authors.forename: Seishiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senda
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D003905:Deuteroporphyrins; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007097:Imines; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000276:immunology; D010976:Platelet Count; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D003905:Deuteroporphyrins; D007097:Imines; D020738:Leptin; C081504:copper benzochlorin; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc