title: Retinol binding protein-4 circulating levels were higher in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease vs. histologically normal liver from morbidly obese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to analyze the retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles in adipose tissues and liver of morbidly obese (MO) women with or without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to study the relationships with other pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and liver samples from four lean and 45 MO women with or without NAFLD by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time reverse transcription-PCR. We also studied RBP4 expression in HepG2 hepatocytes under various inflammatory stimuli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Circulating RBP4 levels were higher in MO women, and specifically, in MO subjects with NAFLD compared with normal liver controls (lean and MO). RBP4 liver expression was higher in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-moderate/severe than in NASHmild. Overall RBP4 gene expression was higher in liver than in adipose tissues. Among them, the higher expression corresponded to SAT. VAT expression was lower in the MO cohort. In HepG2, RBP4 mRNA expression was reduced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and increased by adiponectin treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained in MO women with NAFLD, brings up the use of RBP4 and other adipokines as a panel of noninvasive molecular biomarkers when NAFLD is suspected. Further studies are needed with other obesity groups.
authors.affiliation: Grup de Recerca en Medicina Aplicada Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII, Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia. Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), IISPV, Tarragona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Auguet
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broch
authors.forename: Fàtima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabench
authors.forename: Mercè
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: Isabel M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Quesada
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: del Castillo
authors.forename: Cristóbal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richart
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012016:Reference Values; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha