Clin Mol Hepatol.
2012 Sep;18(3):279-286. 10.3350/cmh.2012.18.3.279.
Enhanced A-FABP expression in visceral fat: potential contributor to the progression of NASH
- Affiliations
-
- 1Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. choyk2004.cho@samsung.com
- 2Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Surgery, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Pathology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 5Department of Medical Research Institute, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 6Laboratory of Molecular Disease and Cell Regulation, Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.
- KMID: 1392907
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/cmh.2012.18.3.279
Abstract
- BACKGROUND/AIMS
Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes various metabolically important substances including adipokines, which represent a link between insulin resistance and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The factors responsible for the progression from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis remain elusive, but adipokine imbalance may play a pivotal role. We evaluated the expressions of adipokines such as visfatin, adipocyte-fatty-acid-binding protein (A-FABP), and retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) in serum and tissue. The aim was to discover whether these adipokines are potential predictors of NASH.
METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction, quantification of mRNA, and Western blots encoding A-FABP, RBP-4, and visfatin were used to study tissue samples from the liver, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. The tissue samples were from biopsy specimens obtained from patients with proven NASH who were undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to gallbladder polyps.
RESULTS
Patients were classified into two groups: NASH, n=10 and non-NASH, n=20 according to their nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Activity Score. Although serum A-FABP levels did not differ between the two groups, the expressions of A-FABP mRNA and protein in the visceral adipose tissue were significantly higher in NASH group than in non-NASH group (104.34 vs. 97.05, P<0.05, and 190.01 vs. 95.15, P<0.01, respectively). Furthermore, the A-FABP protein expression ratio between visceral adipose tissue and liver was higher in NASH group than in non-NASH group (4.38 vs. 1.64, P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
NASH patients had higher levels of A-FABP expression in their visceral fat compared to non-NASH patients. This differential A-FABP expression may predispose patients to the progressive form of NASH.
Keyword
MeSH Terms
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Adipose Tissue/metabolism/pathology
Adult
Aged
Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins/genetics/*metabolism
Fatty Liver/metabolism/*pathology
*Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Fat/*metabolism
Liver/metabolism/pathology
Middle Aged
Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase/genetics/metabolism
RNA, Messenger/metabolism
Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma/genetics/metabolism
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