title: Serum retinol binding protein 4 is negatively related to beta cell function in Chinese women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To observe the relationship between serum retinol binding protein 4(RBP4) and β cell function in Chinese subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and without known diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  106 patients diagnosed as fatty liver by ultrasonography (M/F: 61/45; aged 47.44 ± 14.16 years) were enrolled in our current cross-sectional study. Subjects with known diabetes, chronic virus hepatitis and excessive alcohol consumption were excluded. Serum RBP4 was detected by ELISA and validated by quantitative Western blotting. β cell function were assessed by HOMA in all subjects and by hyperglycemic clamp in 17 normal glucose tolerance subjects (M = 6, F = 11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of serum RBP4 in men were higher than that in women (55.96 ± 11.14 vs 45.87 ± 10.31 μg/ml, p < 0.001). Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated that in women, serum RBP4 levels were significantly associated with fasting blood glucose (FBG), HOMA-β, and increment of first phase insulin secretion (1PH), but not associated with age, BMI, waist circumference, WHR, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TC, TG, HDL-c, LDL-c, 2 h blood glucose, HOMA-IR, ALT, AST, γ-GT, hepatic fat content (HFC), and insulin sensitivity index (ISI). However, in men, serum RBP4 levels were significantly associated with HDL-c, ALT, AST, but not associated with any other parameters as mentioned above. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that in women, HOMA-IR and RBP4 were significantly associated with HOMA-β, while in men, HOMA-IR and BMI were significantly variables associated with HOMA-β.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum RBP4, secreted mainly by liver and adipose tissue, may involve in the pathogenesis of β cell dysfunction in Chinese women patients with NAFLD.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xinxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mingfeng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Linshan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huandong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mengsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China. zhongshan_endo@126.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D044466:Asian People; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055105:Waist Circumference; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014280:Triglycerides; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase