title: Reduced expression of chemerin in visceral adipose tissue associates with hepatic steatosis in patients with obesity.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate whether circulating levels and/or visceral adipose tissue (VAT) expression of recently described adipokines associate with histopathological severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), independent of obesity and insulin resistance.
  
  
  
  Serum levels of adiponectin, omentin, chemerin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and secreted frizzled-related protein 4 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 81 patients with obesity and NAFLD and 18 lean control subjects. Expression in VAT was measured using real-time PCR and histopathological grading was scored using the NAFLD activity score (NAS).
  
  
  
  When NAFLD patients were subdivided into groups with simple steatosis, borderline nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and NASH, adiponectin serum levels and omentin expression were lower in NASH versus simple steatosis patients. Serum adiponectin was generally lower with higher histopathological grading. Chemerin VAT expression was negatively associated with NAS (r = -0.331, P = 0.022) and steatosis score (r = -0.335, P = 0.020), independent of age, BMI, and HOMA-IR. In addition, adjusting for chemerin VAT expression in a multivariate model explained part of the association between NAS and HOMA-IR.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest that lower VAT expression of chemerin in patients with obesity may be involved in the pathophysiology of hepatic steatosis, potentially by modulating the link between insulin resistance and NAFLD.
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Marlies
authors: M
authors: Bekaert
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.|German Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Duesseldorf, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
authors: D Margriet
authors: DM
authors: Ouwens
authors: German Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Duesseldorf, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
authors: Tina
authors: T
authors: Hörbelt
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Frederique
authors: F
authors: Van de Velde
authors: German Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Duesseldorf, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
authors: Pia
authors: P
authors: Fahlbusch
authors: German Diabetes Center, Institute for Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Duesseldorf, Germany.|German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany.
authors: Daniella
authors: D
authors: Herzfeld de Wiza
authors: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Yves
authors: Y
authors: Van Nieuwenhove
authors: Revalidation Science and Physiotherapy, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Calders
authors: Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Marleen
authors: M
authors: Praet
authors: Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Hoorens
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Geerts
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Verhelst
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Jean-Marc
authors: JM
authors: Kaufman
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Lapauw
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D015415:Biomarkers; D018925:Chemokines; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C478630:RARRES2 protein, human