title: A novel appetite peptide, nesfatin-1 in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver pathology worldwide and is strongly associated with obesity and insulin-resistance and food intake. Nesfatin-1 is a new peptide that controls appetite and food intake. The objective of this research was to examine the serum concentrations of nesfatin-1 in NAFLD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty NAFLD patients who had elevated liver enzymes and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included in this study. NAFLD was diagnosed and graded with the findings of liver ultrasound scan. Nesfatin-1 concentrations were measured using an ELISA method and the relationship between nesfatin-1 and metabolic parameters were investigated. The subjects were divided into two groups according to their body mass index (≥ 30 and < 30) and nesfatin-1 concentrations were examined between both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum nesfatin-1 concentrations in NAFLD patients were lower than healthy controls (0.26 ± 0.14 ng/ml, 0.38 ± 0.18 ng/ml, respectively, and p = 0.008). We found a negative correlation between nesfatin-1 and fasting glucose and body mass index. In obese subjects, serum nesfatin-1 concentrations were significantly lower when compared with non-obese subjects (0.26 ± 0.12 ng/ml, 0.37 ± 0.19 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.014). In addition, we showed that nesfatin-1 concentrations in subjects with insulin resistance were significantly lower in comparison with insulin-sensitive ones (0.27 ± 0.17 ng/ml, 0.38 ± 0.17 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has shown that nesfatin-1 concentrations were reduced in NAFLD. The results of this study indicate that nesfatin-1 may have a significant role in NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Dιşkapι Yιldιrιm Beyazιt Educational and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. basaromer@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Başar
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akbal
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Köklü
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koçak
authors.forename: Yaşar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tuna
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ekiz
authors.forename: Selcan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gültuna
authors.forename: Fatma Meriç
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Yιlmaz
authors.forename: Temuçin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aydoğan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000630650:NUCB2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D010455:Peptides