Omentin, vaspin and irisin in chronic liver diseases.

Omentin and vaspin are adipokines potentially considered in the development of liver pathology. Irisin is new myokin potentially participating in energy processes in the organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma concentration of these cytokines and the relationships of them with selected parameters of laboratory tests and of histopathological changes in selected chronic liver diseases: non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and alcoholic cirrhosis (AC). The plasma concentration of omentin was the highest in AC group and the lowest in control group (CG). Irisin plasma concentration was the highest in CG and the lowest in AC. Mean vaspin concentrations did not differ significantly between groups. Among many laboratory parameters, only in the AC group positive relationships were found between omentin concentration and bilirubin, as well as glucose, and negative between omentin level and the number of platelets and erythrocytes; there was a positive relationship between the concentration of vaspin and bilirubin, as well as negative between vaspin level and the number of erythrocytes or hematocrit value in this group. INR value had positive correlation with vaspin concentration and negative with irisin level in NAFLD group. No significant dependences between the concentrations of explored cytokines and laboratory tests were found in PBC group. It was found the positive correlation between the plasma concentration of irisin and fibrosis as well as inflammation in PBC group. The negative correlation between irisin level and inflammation in NAFLD was also showed. Omentin can be considered as an indicator for predicting inflammation, steatosis and balloon degeneration in NAFLD and PBC. Summarizing, it is unclear but possible that explored cytokines have some relationships with certain features of liver damage and development of chronic diseases of this organ.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 and omentin-1 hepatic mRNA expression and serum levels in morbidly obese women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) and omentin-1 have been recognized as potent antidiabetic agents with potential hepatoprotective activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate hepatic FGF21 and omentin-1 mRNA expression as well as their serum levels as predictive markers of liver injury and insulin resistance in morbidly obese women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study included 56 severely obese women who underwent intraoperative wedge liver biopsy during the bariatric surgery. Hepatic FGF21 and omentin-1 mRNA were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, while their serum concentrations were measured with commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The FGF21 serum level was significantly higher in patients with a greater extent of steatosis (grade 2 and 3) compared to those without or with mild steatosis (grade 0 and 1) (P = 0.049). Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis, however, showed poor discriminant power for the FGF21 serum levels in differentiating between more and less extensive steatosis with an AUC = 0.666. There was a tendency towards higher levels of hepatic FGF21 mRNA in patients with lobular inflammation and fibrosis and towards lower levels in the case of hepatocyte ballooning and steatosis. There was a positive mutual correlation between hepatic FGF21 and omentin-1 mRNA levels (r = 0.78; P < 0.001). Fibrosis stage was associated with serum glucose and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively). Serum omentin-1 was not associated with histopathological features. The hepatic omentin-1 mRNA levels showed a tendency to be lower in patients with advanced steatosis and hepatocyte ballooning. In conclusion, our study, which focused on hepatic FGF21 and omentin-1 mRNA expression, confirmed marked expression of both molecules in the liver of morbidly obese patients with NAFLD. More extensive steatosis was associated with evident changes in the serum FGF21 concentration in morbidly obese women with NAFLD, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. The vast amount of fat, both visceral and subcutaneous, in severely obese patients may be the additional source and influence the FGF21 and omentin-1 serum levels.