title: Association of leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) with NAFLD, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have shown that leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), a recently discovered hepatokine, is associated with the inflammatory response and insulin resistance. We examined circulating plasma LECT2 levels in the subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed plasma LECT2 levels from the subjects of age- and sex-matched 320 adults with or without NAFLD who completed a health check-up at the Health Promotion Center of Korea University Guro Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with NAFLD showed significantly higher LECT2 levels (31.2 [20.9, 41.5] vs. 24.5[16.3, 32.7] ng/ml, P <0.001) as well as components of MetS compared to those without NAFLD. Furthermore, circulating LECT2 concentrations were greater in subjects with MetS (32.6 [17.8, 45.0] vs. 27.0 [18.7, 33.7] ng/ml, P = 0.016) and were associated with anthropometric measures of obesity, lipid profiles, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and liver aminotransferase levels. However, there was no significant relationship between LECT2 levels and indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis, such as carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a progressively increasing trend of odds ratios for NAFLD according to quartiles of LECT2 levels after adjusting for risk factors, although the relationship was attenuated after further adjustment for waist circumference and lipid levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating LECT2 concentrations were increased in individuals with NAFLD and those with MetS, but not in those with atherosclerosis. The relationship between LECT2 and both NAFLD and MetS might be mediated by its association with abdominal obesity and lipid metabolism.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01594710.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sin Gon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Nan Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sei Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Baik
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Seop
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Mook
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000097:blood; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C103468:LECT2 protein, human