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Serum levels of pigment epithelium‐derived factor ( PEDF ) are positively associated with acanthosis nigricans in obese adolescents
Author(s) -
Galhardo J.,
Hunt L. P.,
Shield J. P. H.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2012.03592.x
Subject(s) - acanthosis nigricans , retinal pigment epithelium , pedf , insulin resistance , endocrinology , medicine , epithelium , acanthosis , insulin , pathology , hyperkeratosis , retinal , ophthalmology , angiogenesis
Diabet. Med. 29, e117–e120 (2012) Abstract Introduction Circulating pigment epithelium‐derived factor, or serine protease inhibitor F1, is upregulated during adipogenesis, contributing to obesity‐induced insulin resistance. Furthermore, pigment epithelium‐derived factor is abundant in stage I melanosomes and has been reported to increase pigment granules and the appearance of mature melanosomes in retinal pigment epithelium. As acanthosis nigricans is a well‐recognized clinical marker of insulin resistance, we hypothesized that increased pigment epithelium‐derived factor might be associated with the generation of acanthosis nigricans. Methods Acanthosis nigricans, anthropometric measurements, circulating total PEDF and metabolic profiles were assessed in 28 obese adolescents in a hospital‐based obesity clinic. Results Subjects with acanthosis nigricans ( n = 10) showed greater plasma levels of pigment epithelium‐derived factor (PEDF) than those without [geometric mean 23.55 (range 15.2–40.2) vs. 9.01 (range 5.5–18.7) μg/ml; P < 0.001]. Although pigment epithelium‐derived factor was positively correlated with the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) ( r = 0.779, P < 0.001; 95% CI 0.573–0.892), as previously reported, for the same degree of insulin resistance, those with acanthosis nigricans exhibited a 2.1‐fold (95%CI 2.0–2.3) higher level of pigment epithelium‐derived factor. Conclusions While acanthosis nigricans is undoubtedly associated with insulin resistance, its appearance is not ubiquitous in patients at any given level of HOMA‐IR. The higher levels of pigment epithelium‐derived factor in those with acanthosis nigricans compared with those without, with similar levels of resistance, suggest that pigment epithelium‐derived factor levels are associated with acanthosis nigricans.