Association of increased Visfatin/PBEF/NAMPT circulating concentrations and gene expression levels in peripheral blood cells with lipid metabolism and fatty liver in human morbid obesity

Catalán, V.; Gómez-Ambrosi, J.; Rodríguez, A.; Ramírez, B.; Silva, C.; Rotellar, F.; Cienfuegos, J.A.; Salvador, J.; Frühbeck, G.

doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2009.09.008

« Previous Next »Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases
Volume 21, Issue 4 , Pages 245-253, April 2011

Association of increased Visfatin/PBEF/NAMPT circulating concentrations and gene expression levels in peripheral blood cells with lipid metabolism and fatty liver in human morbid obesity

V. Catalán
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
J. Gómez-Ambrosi
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
A. Rodríguez
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
B. Ramírez
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
C. Silva
- Department of Endocrinology, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
F. Rotellar
- Department of Surgery, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
J.A. Cienfuegos
- Department of Surgery, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
J. Salvador
- Department of Endocrinology, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
G. Frühbeck
- Metabolic Research Laboratory, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Endocrinology, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
- Corresponding author at: Department of Endocrinology, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, University of Navarra, Avda. Pío XII, 36, 31008 Pamplona, Spain. Tel.: +34 948 25 54 00x4484; fax: +34 948 29 65 00.

Received 31 March 2009; received in revised form 14 September 2009; accepted 28 September 2009. published online 27 January 2010.

Abstract

Background and aims

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is an adipokine with physiological effects on the control of glucose homeostasis as well as potentially involved in inflammation. The association of circulating NAMPT concentrations with obesity has not been clearly established. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of obesity on circulating concentrations and gene expression levels of NAMPT in human peripheral blood cells (PBCs) as well as its involvement in inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism.

Methods and results

Forty-four serum samples obtained from 14 lean and 30 obese volunteers were used to analyse the circulating concentrations of NAMPT. In addition, PBC, omental adipose tissue (OM) and liver biopsy samples obtained from a subgroup of subjects were used to determine transcript levels of NAMPT by Real-time PCR. Glucose and lipid profile as well as several inflammatory factors and hepatic enzymes were analysed. NAMPT circulating concentrations (P<0.01) and gene expression levels in PBC (P<0.05) were significantly increased in obese patients as compared to lean subjects. Total-cholesterol (P=0.016), HDL-cholesterol (P=0.036) and triglycerides (P=0.050) were significant and independent determinants of circulating concentrations of NAMPT (P<0.01). Moreover, a positive correlation (P<0.01) was found with the hepatic enzymes alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltransferase after BMI adjustment.

Conclusion

Our work shows that NAMPT circulating concentrations and mRNA expression levels in PBC are increased in obese patients and that plasma NAMPT levels are related to inflammation, lipid metabolism and hepatic enzymes suggesting a potential involvement in fatty liver disease and in the obesity-associated inflammatory state.

Keywords: Fatty liver disease, Gene expression, Inflammation, Lipid metabolism, NAMPT, Obesity, Peripheral blood cells