scholarly journals Interferon-alpha2 but not Interferon-gamma serum levels are associated with intramuscular fat in obese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Tarantino ◽  
Susan Costantini ◽  
Vincenzo Citro ◽  
Paolo Conforti ◽  
Francesca Capone ◽  
...  

SUMMARYBackgroundIntramuscular triglycerides (IMTGs) represent an important energy supply and a dynamic fat-storage depot that can expand during periods of elevated lipid availability and a fatty ac-id source. Ultrasonography (US) of human skeletal muscles is a practical and reproducible method to assess both IMTG presence and entity.Although a crosstalk between cytokines in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue has been suggested in obesity, condition leading to hepatic steatosis (HS) or better defined as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cancer, there are still questions to be answered about the role of interferons (IFNs), alpha as well as gamma, and IMTG in obesity. We aimed at discovering any correlation between IFNs and IMTG.MethodsWe analysed anthropometric data, metabolic parameters and imaging features of a population of obese subjects with low-prevalence of co-morbidities but HS. The levels of serum IFNs were detected by a magnetic bead-based multiplex immunoassays.ResultsSerum concentrations of IFN-alpha2 were increased, while serum levels of IFN-gamma were decreased confronted with those of controls; the severity of IMTG, revealed at US as Heckmatt scores, was inversely predicted by IFN-alpha2 serum concentrations; IMTG scores were not predicted by serum levels of IFN-gamma; IMTG scores were predicted by HS severity, ascertained at US; HS severity was predicted by visceral adipose tissue, assessed by US, but the latter was not instrumental to IMTG.Discussion & ConclusionThis study has added some pieces of observation about the cytokine network regulating the interplay between IMTG and obesity in obese patients with HS.

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salih Boga ◽  
Huseyin Alkim ◽  
Canan Alkim ◽  
Ali Riza Koksal ◽  
Mehmet Bayram ◽  
...  

Background & Aims: Mild iron overload is frequently reported in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hepcidin is the master iron-regulatory peptide and hemojuvelin (HJV) is the key regulator of iron-dependent secretion of hepcidin. The aims of this study were to evaluate serum HJV and hepcidin levels in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD with and without hepatic iron overload, and to identify potential associations of HJV and hepcidin with the clinical characteristics of the patients enrolled. Methods: Serum levels of HJV and hepcidin were measured in 66 NAFLD patients with (n=12) and without (n=54) iron overload, and controls (n=35) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hemojuvelin and hepcidin levels were assessed in relation to clinical characteristics and liver histologic evaluation of the participants. Results: Significantly lower serum HJV (281.1 [239.2-353.6] vs. 584.8 [440.3-661] ng/ml, p<0.001) and similar serum hepcidin levels (60.5±31.1 vs. 55.8±11.9 ng/ml, p=0.285) were found in NAFLD patients when compared to controls. İron-overloaded NAFLD patients had significantly lower HJV (249.9 [187.6-296.3] vs. 292.9 [243-435] ng/ml, p=0.032) and significantly higher hepcidin (78.4±35.5 vs. 56.5±28.9ng/ml, p=0.027) levels than NAFLD patients without iron overload. Fibrosis stage was significantly higher in iron overloaded NAFLD group (p<0.001). Ferritin levels correlated significantly both with HOMA-IR (r=0.368, p=0.002) and fibrosis stage (r=0.571, p<0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HJV levels are low in NAFLD and even lower in iron overloaded NAFLD, while hepcidin levels are higher in NAFLD with iron overload. The gradually decreased HJV and increased hepcidin concentrations in our patients most likely reflect the physiological response to iron accumulation in the liver.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fábio da Veiga Ued ◽  
Virgínia Resende S. Weffort

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on the importance of antioxidant vitamins, analyzed in the context of dietary intake, its plasma levels, and its current use as a supplementation treatment in obese children and adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. DATA SOURCES: The articles were identified in Lilacs, Ibecs, SciELO, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus databases. To conduct the survey, the "fatty liver" descriptor was associated to the following words: "children", "antioxidants" and "vitamins". The search was limited to articles written in Portuguese, Spanish and English, with publication date until December, 2012. DATA SYNTHESIS: Six studies were selected. The survey revealed a low dietary intake and low antioxidant vitamins serum levels in this population. The changes in lifestyle, with adequate dietary intake of vitamins, and the increase in physical activity were associated with a significant improvement in liver histology and in laboratory tests. Vitamin supplementation also improved the disease progression markers, as the alanine aminotransferase serum levels and the histological characteristics of lobular inflammation and hepatocellular damage. However, these improvements were not statistically significant in all studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to recommend or to refute antioxidant supplementation in patients with simple steatosis or steatohepatitis. The changes in lifestyle seem to be, at the present time, the more advisable therapy.


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