Evaluation of Serum Levels of Adiponectin, Vitamin D3, Zonulin, and Irisin in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Case-Control Study from Nasiriyah Province, Iraq

محورهای موضوعی :

Rawaa Abdulmutalib ¹ , Raed Fanoukh Aboqader Al-Aouadi ²

1 - Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq
2 - Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine Al-Ayen Iraqi University, AUIQ, An Nasiriyah, Iraq

تاریخ دریافت : 1403/11/30 تاریخ پذیرش : 1404/01/24 تاریخ انتشار : 1404/03/25

کلید واژه: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Adiponectin, Vitamin D, Zonulin, Irisin, Insulin resistance, Liver function markers,

چکیده مقاله :

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is increasingly recognized as a widespread metabolic abnormality and a leading contributor to insulin resistance. Adiponectin, an adipose tissue-specific adipokine, plays a crucial role in metabolic regulation. Zonulin, a liver-secreted protein, modulates intestinal permeability, while irisin, a hormone produced by skeletal muscle and adipocytes, is implicated in energy homeostasis. This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of vitamin D3, zonulin, irisin, and adiponectin in patients with NAFLD to elucidate their roles in disease pathogenesis and compare findings with a healthy control group. A total of 44 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of NAFLD and 44 apparently healthy controls were recruited. Blood Samples (5 mL) were obtained, and the serum was isolated via centrifugation, then preserved at −80°C for subsequent analysis. Serum levels of irisin, zonulin, vitamin D3, and adiponectin were measured using the ELISA technique: Adiponectin ELISA Kit (Elabscience, USA) and Vitamin D Kit (Sigma-Aldrich, USA). Liver function markers, including ALT and AST, were assessed using photometric methods (ALT and AST kits, LINEAR, Spain). Findings revealed a marked decrease in circulating levels of vitamin D3 in NAFLD patients (13.32±2.90 m m^-1) compared to controls (28.14±4.71 m m^-1) (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum levels of adiponectin, irisin, and zonulin were significantly elevated in NAFLD patients (3.12±1.22 m m^-1, 387±77.43 m m^-1, 66.42±4.78 m m^-1, respectively) compared to controls (1.40±0.91 µg mL^-1; 74.34±14.11 ng mL^-1; 55.66±5.61 m m^-1, respectively) (P < 0.05). Additionally, serum ALP levels were significantly higher in NAFLD patients (40±3.28 U L^-1) than in controls (32.88±2.56 U L^-1) (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that adiponectin, vitamin D3, irisin, and zonulin may play critical roles in NAFLD pathogenesis. Alterations in their serum levels could play a key role in unraveling disease mechanisms and facilitating the development of targeted therapies.

چکیده انگلیسی:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is increasingly recognized as a widespread metabolic abnormality and a leading contributor to insulin resistance. Adiponectin, an adipose tissue-specific adipokine, plays a crucial role in metabolic regulation. Zonulin, a liver-secreted protein, modulates intestinal permeability, while irisin, a hormone produced by skeletal muscle and adipocytes, is implicated in energy homeostasis. This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of vitamin D3, zonulin, irisin, and adiponectin in patients with NAFLD to elucidate their roles in disease pathogenesis and compare findings with a healthy control group. A total of 44 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of NAFLD and 44 apparently healthy controls were recruited. Blood Samples (5 mL) were obtained, and the serum was isolated via centrifugation, then preserved at −80°C for subsequent analysis. Serum levels of irisin, zonulin, vitamin D3, and adiponectin were measured using the ELISA technique: Adiponectin ELISA Kit (Elabscience, USA) and Vitamin D Kit (Sigma-Aldrich, USA). Liver function markers, including ALT and AST, were assessed using photometric methods (ALT and AST kits, LINEAR, Spain). Findings revealed a marked decrease in circulating levels of vitamin D3 in NAFLD patients (13.32±2.90 m m^-1) compared to controls (28.14±4.71 m m^-1) (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum levels of adiponectin, irisin, and zonulin were significantly elevated in NAFLD patients (3.12±1.22 m m^-1, 387±77.43 m m^-1, 66.42±4.78 m m^-1, respectively) compared to controls (1.40±0.91 µg mL^-1; 74.34±14.11 ng mL^-1; 55.66±5.61 m m^-1, respectively) (P < 0.05). Additionally, serum ALP levels were significantly higher in NAFLD patients (40±3.28 U L^-1) than in controls (32.88±2.56 U L^-1) (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that adiponectin, vitamin D3, irisin, and zonulin may play critical roles in NAFLD pathogenesis. Alterations in their serum levels could play a key role in unraveling disease mechanisms and facilitating the development of targeted therapies.

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