title: Human serum RNase-L level is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome and age.
abstract: Ribonuclease-L (RNase-L) was known to be a ubiquitous enzyme involved in several cellular functions, especially innate immunity. It was recently shown to participate in adipogenesis in rodents. Here, we developed a method to measure serum levels of RNase-L and analyzed the relationship between RNase-L and metabolic syndrome (MetS).
  
  
  
  A total of 396 subjects were recruited from a health check-up program. An in-house RNase-L immunoassay was developed. The serum RNase-L levels of these subjects were measured, and the association of MetS-related factors with RNase-L levels was assessed.
  
  
  
  The mean serum level of RNase-L of the subjects with MetS were lower than those without (16.5 ± 6.4 vs. 18.4 ± 8.0 μg/ml, P = 0.018). The subjects with central obesity, elevated blood pressure, or impaired fasting glucose also had lower serum RNase-L levels in comparison to those without. In multivariate linear regression analysis, diastolic blood pressure (β = -0.129, P = 0.024) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (β = 0.127, P = 0.036) were related to serum RNase-L. For every 5 μg/ml increase in serum RNase-L levels, it is associated with a reduced risk of MetS (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.98, P = 0.028), central obesity (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.94, P = 0.005), or low HDL-C (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.74-1.00, P = 0.042). Moreover, age is inversely related to serum RNase-L levels in various analyses.
  
  
  
  The serum RNase-L levels were inversely associated with MetS, unfavorable metabolic profiles, and age.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ping-Huei
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.|Graduate Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No. 17, Xu-Zhou Road, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital Beihu Branch, No.87, Neijiang St., Taipei, 10800, Taiwan.|Community and Geriatric Medicine Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital Beihu Branch, No.87, Neijiang St., Taipei, 10800, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Der-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.|Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chiao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fen-Yu
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. wsyang@ntu.edu.tw.|Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. wsyang@ntu.edu.tw.|Center for Obesity, Lifestyle and Metabolic Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-San South Road, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan. wsyang@ntu.edu.tw.|Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics & Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei, 10051, Taiwan. wsyang@ntu.edu.tw.|, No. 1, Chang-Teh St., Taipei, 10048, Taiwan. wsyang@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Shiung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C031956:2-5A-dependent ribonuclease
keywords: Central obesity; Elevated blood pressure; Impaired fasting glucose; Low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Metabolic syndrome; RNase-L