Role of Retinol-Binding Protein 4 in Obese Asian Indians with Metabolic Syndrome

Role of Retinol-Binding Protein 4 in Obese Asian Indians with Metabolic Syndrome Retinol-binding protein 4 is an adipocytokine separately implicated in the development of obesity-related insulin resistance and proatherogenic lipid profile, however, its role in humans is unclear. This study was carried out to assess the role of retinol-binding protein 4 as a potential marker of metabolic syndrome in obese Asian Indians (a high-risk population for diabetes). 52 obese (BMI >23 kg/m2) Asian Indians were grouped into those with and without metabolic syndrome based on IDF criteria and compared with healthy controls. The anthropometric and biochemical parameters (fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, serum insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and retinol-binding protein 4) were estimated. The obese groups had significantly altered adiposity indices, insulin resistance parameters (fasting blood sugar (only in the metabolic syndrome group), serum insulin, HOMA-IR and QUICKI), index of inflammation (C-reactive protein) and proatherogenic dyslipidemic profile (serum triglycerides, VLDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride/HDL-cholesterol ratio). Retinol-binding protein 4 levels were elevated in the obese groups, but were not significant. Retinol-binding protein 4 levels were correlated with anthro-pometric parameters and atherogenic lipids, while C-reactive protein was correlated with anthropometric and insulin resistance parameters in the entire group of subjects. Although these correlations were not observed in the obese groups, in the control group, retinol-binding protein 4 was correlated to the lipid parameters and C-reactive protein to adiposity indices. Thus, the role of retinol-binding protein 4 as a potential marker of metabolic syndrome is limited to the prediction of proatherogenic risk among Asian Indians. Uloga Retinol-Vezujućeg Proteina 4 Kod Gojaznih Indijaca sa Metabolićkim Sindromom Retinol-vezujući protein 4 je adipocitokin koji ima zasebnu ulogu u razvoju insulinske rezistencije u gojaznosti i proaterogenog lipidskog profila, međutim, ona kod ljudi nije razjašnjena. Ova studija izvedena je kako bi se utvrdila uloga retinol-vezujućeg proteina 4 kao potencijalnog markera metaboličkog sindroma kod gojaznih Indijaca (populacije sa visokim rizikom za šećernu bolest). Pedeset dvoje gojaznih ispitanika (indeks telesne mase > 23 kg/m2) podeljeni su na one sa i bez metaboličkog sindroma na osnovu kriterijuma IDF i upoređeni sa zdravim kontrolnim subjektima. Određeni su antropometrijski i biohemijski parametri (šećer u krvi, lipidski profil, insulin u serumu, visokoosetljivi C-reaktivni protein i retinol-vezujući protein 4). U gojaznim grupama značajno su bili izmenjeni adipozni indeksi, parametri insulinske rezistencije (šećer u krvi (samo u grupi sa metaboličkim sindromom), insulin u serumu, HOMA-IR i QUICKI), indeks inflamacije (C-reaktivni protein) i proaterogeni dislipidemijski profil (trigliceridi, VLDL-holesterol i odnos trigliceridi/HDL-holesterol u serumu). Nivoi retinol-vezujućeg proteina 4 bili su u korelaciji sa antropometrijskim parametrima i aterogenim lipidima, dok je C-reaktivni protein korelisao sa antropometrijskim kao i parametrima insulinske rezistencije kod svih ispitanika obuhvaćenih studijom. Iako ove korelacije nisu uočene u gojaznim grupama, retinol-vezujući protein 4 bio je u korelaciji sa lipidskim parametrima a C-reaktivni protein sa adipoznim indeksima. Stoga je uloga retinol-vezujućeg proteina 4 kao potencijalnog markera metaboličkog sindroma ograničena na predviđanje proaterogenog rizika kod Indijaca.