The relationship of circulating fetuin-a with liver histology and biomarkers of systemic inflammation in nondiabetic subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

audi J Gastroenterol. 2015 May-Jun;21(3):139-45. doi: 10.4103/1319-3767.157556.

The relationship of circulating fetuin-a with liver histology and biomarkers of systemic inflammation in nondiabetic subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Celebi G1, Genc H, Gurel H, Sertoglu E, Kara M, Tapan S, Acikel C, Karslioglu Y, Ercin CN, Dogru T.

Author information

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

Fetuin-A, a glycoprotein with anti-inflammatory properties, plays an important role in counter-regulating inflammatory responses. It has also been associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. We aimed to investigate circulating concentrations of fetuin-A and its possible association with hepatic and systemic inflammation in nondiabetic subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

We included 105 nondiabetic male subjects with NAFLD [nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n = 86) and simple steatosis (SS, n = 19)]. Plasma levels of fetuin-A and markers of inflammation [high-sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and adiponectin] were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Insulin sensitivity was determined by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index.

RESULTS:

Fetuin-A was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.27, P = 0.006), however there was no association between fetuin-A and body mass index, waist circumference (WC), glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipid parameters, and inflammatory markers. In addition, no significant association was observed between fetuin-A and histological findings including liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSION:

This study demonstrated that plasma fetuin-A levels are not correlated with the hepatic histology and systemic markers of inflammation in nondiabetic subjects with NAFLD. Our data also suggested that age is significantly associated with fetuin-A in this clinically relevant condition.

PMID:

26021772

PMCID:

PMC4455143

DOI:

10.4103/1319-3767.157556

[Indexed for MEDLINE] 

Free PMC Article