Serum retinol binding protein 4 and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a protein secreted by adipocytes, and closely associated with insulin resistance. Whereas RBP4 is also mainly expressed in hepatocytes as the principal transport protein for retinol (vitamin A) in the circulation, and its pathophysiological role in liver remain unclear. The aim of this paper was to investigate the association between RBP4 and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Serum RBP4 and adiponectin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 52 diabetic patients who had NAFLD and 50 sex- and age-matched diabetic patients without any clinical features of liver diseases who had normal liver ultrasonic appearance and normal liver function. Serum RBP4 levels were elevated in diabetic patients with NAFLD (32.0 ± 8.9 μg/ml vs. 41.3 ± 9.8 μg/ml, p < 0.001), while adiponectin decreased (17.4 ± 9.3 μg/ml vs. 13.8 ± 7.0 μg/ml, p = 0.032). Male diabetic patients had higher serum RBP4 concentration and lower serum adiponectin concentration than female diabetic patients (38.5 ± 9.9 μg/ml vs. 34.0 ± 10.7 μg/ml, p = 0.031 and 12.7 ± 5.7 μg/ml vs. 20.23 ± 9.8 μg/ml, p < 0.001, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed RBP4 and triglyceride as independent association factors for NAFLD, while the association between serum adiponectin and NAFLD was not significant. Increasing concentrations of RBP4 were independently and significantly associated with NAFLD in diabetic patients. In multiple linear regression analysis, alanine aminotransferase, fasting serum insulin and adiponectin were independent factors for serum RBP4 level. The study demonstrates that retinol binding protein 4 might contribute to the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.