Association of fetuin B with markers of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The liver-derived plasma protein fetuin B is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and impaired glucose homeostasis in mice. However, its association with non-invasive ultrasound- and magnetic resonance (MR)-based markers of liver fibrosis and steatosis, the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score, liver biopsy, as well as rs738409 in PNPLA3, has not been elucidated in NAFLD, so far.

DESIGN AND METHODS:

The association of circulating fetuin B and transient elastography (TE), controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), 1H-MR-spectroscopy, the ELF score, liver biopsy, as well as risk alleles in rs738409 in PNPLA3, was studied in 101 NAFLD patients as compared to 15 healthy controls.

RESULTS:

Serum fetuin B levels did not differ between NAFLD patients and controls (p = 0.863). Fetuin B was independently and negatively associated with transient elastography liver stiffness measurement (LSM) (p = 0.002), but not with the steatosis markers CAP or 1H-MR-spectroscopy. Fetuin B serum concentrations were significantly lower in individuals with LSM > 7.0 kPa as compared to patients with LSM < 7.0 kPa (p = 0.024). Furthermore, the ELF score and histologically proven fibrosis were independent and negative predictors of circulating fetuin B. Moreover, serum fetuin B significantly depended on number of rs738409 risk alleles (p = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS:

Fetuin B is independently and negatively associated with non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis and PNPLA3 status in NAFLD patients but does not show a correlation with the hepatic lipid content. Future studies need to elucidate the pathophysiological significance of fetuin B in NAFLD and its potential value as predictor for disease severity.

• Authors: Thomas Ebert, Nicolas Linder, Alexander Schaudinn, Harald Busse, Joachim Berger, Ralf Lichtinghagen, Volker Keim, Johannes Wiegand, Thomas Karlas
• Journal: Endocrine (Endocrine) Vol. 58 Issue 2 Pg. 246-252 (Nov 2017) ISSN: 1559-0100 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28914407 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Fetuin-B

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Alleles
• Biomarkers
• Elasticity Imaging Techniques
• Female
• Fetuin-B (analysis)
• Humans
• Liver (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Liver Cirrhosis (blood, diagnostic imaging, genetics, pathology)
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (blood, diagnostic imaging, genetics, pathology)
• Ultrasonography
• Young Adult