Viral Hepatitis

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Retinol-binding protein 4: A new marker of virus-induced steatosis in patients infected with hepatitis c virus genotype 1†

  1. Salvatore Petta1,‡,*,
  2. Calogero Cammà1,
  3. Vito Di Marco1,
  4. Nicola Alessi1,
  5. Francesco Barbaria1,
  6. Daniela Cabibi2,
  7. Rosalia Caldarella3,
  8. Stefania Ciminnisi1,
  9. Anna Licata1,
  10. Maria Fatima Massenti3,
  11. Alessandra Mazzola1,
  12. Giuseppe Tarantino1,
  13. Giulio Marchesini4,
  14. Antonio Craxì1

Article first published online: 10 MAR 2008

DOI: 10.1002/hep.22316

Issue

Hepatology

Hepatology

Volume 48, Issue 1, pages 28–37, July 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Petta, S., Cammà, C., Di Marco, V., Alessi, N., Barbaria, F., Cabibi, D., Caldarella, R., Ciminnisi, S., Licata, A., Massenti, M. F., Mazzola, A., Tarantino, G., Marchesini, G. and Craxì, A. (2008), Retinol-binding protein 4: A new marker of virus-induced steatosis in patients infected with hepatitis c virus genotype 1. Hepatology, 48: 28–37. doi: 10.1002/hep.22316

Author Information

  1. 1

    Cattedra ed Unità Operativa di Gastroenterologia, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

  2. 2

    Cattedra di Anatomia Patologica, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

  3. 3

    Dipartimento di Igiene e Microbiologia–Sezione Igiene, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

  4. 4

    Dipartimento di Medicina e Gastroenterologia, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

  1. ‡

    fax: 39 091 655 2156

*Gastroenterologia and Epatologia, Piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy

  1. †

    Potential conflict of interest: Nothing to report.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 JUN 2008
  2. Article first published online: 10 MAR 2008
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 10 MAR 2008 12:00AM EST
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 29 FEB 2008
  5. Manuscript Received: 21 DEC 2007

Funded by

  • Italian Association for the Study of the Liver

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Abstract

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is an adipocytokine associated with insulin resistance (IR). We tested serum levels of RBP4 to assess its link with steatosis in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nondiabetic patients with CHC (n = 143) or NAFLD (n = 37) were evaluated by liver biopsy and anthropometric and metabolic measurements, including IR by the homeostasis model assessment. Biopsies were scored by Scheuer classification for CHC, and Kleiner for NAFLD. Steatosis was tested as a continuous variable and graded as absent-mild <30%, or moderate-severe ≥30%. Thirty nondiabetic, nonobese blood donors served as controls. RBP4 levels were measured by a human competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (AdipoGen). Mean values of RBP4 were similar in NAFLD and CHC (35.3 ± 9.3 μg/L versus 36.8 ± 17.6; P = 0.47, respectively), and both were significantly higher than in controls (28.9 ± 12.1; P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively). RBP4 was higher in CHC patients with steatosis than in NAFLD (42.1 ± 19.7 versus 35.2 ± 9.3; P = 0.04). By linear regression, RBP4 was independently linked to steatosis only (P = 0.008) in CHC, and to elevated body mass index (P = 0.01) and low grading (P = 0.04) in NAFLD. By linear regression, steatosis was independently linked to homeostasis model assessment score (P = 0.03) and high RBP4 (P = 0.003) in CHC. By logistic regression, RBP4 was the only variable independently associated with moderate-severe steatosis in CHC (odds ratio, 1.045; 95% confidence interval, 1.020 to 1.070; P = 0.0004), whereas waist circumference was associated with moderate-severe steatosis in NAFLD (odds ratio, 1.095; 95% confidence interval, 1.007 to 1.192; P = 0.03). Conclusion: In nondiabetic, nonobese patients with genotype 1 CHC, serum RBP4 levels might be the expression of a virus-linked pathway to steatosis, largely unrelated to IR. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)

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