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Reduced expression of chemerin in visceral adipose tissue associates with hepatic steatosis in patients with obesity
Author(s) -
Bekaert Marlies,
Ouwens D. Margriet,
Hörbelt Tina,
Van de Velde Frederique,
Fahlbusch Pia,
Herzfeld de Wiza Daniella,
Van Nieuwenhove Yves,
Calders Patrick,
Praet Marleen,
Hoorens Anne,
Geerts Anja,
Verhelst Xavier,
Kaufman JeanMarc,
Lapauw Bruno
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.21674
Subject(s) - chemerin , steatosis , medicine , adipokine , adiponectin , insulin resistance , endocrinology , adipose tissue , nonalcoholic fatty liver disease , metabolic syndrome , fatty liver , obesity , disease
Objective 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. Methods 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). Results 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. Conclusions 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.