BACKGROUND: Obestatin is a ghrelin-associated peptide, derived from preproghrelin.
Although many of its effects are unclear, accumulating evidence supports positive
actions on both metabolism and cardiovascular function. To date, level of obestatin
and its correlations to the lipid subfractions in non-diabetic obese (NDO) patients
have not been investigated. METHODS: Fifty NDO patients (BMI: 41.96 +/- 8.6 kg/m(2))
and thirty-two normal-weight, age- and gender-matched healthy controls (BMI: 24.16
+/- 3.3 kg/m(2)) were enrolled into our study. Obestatin level was measured by ELISA.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subfractions, intermediate
density lipoprotein (IDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels and mean
LDL size were detected by nongradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Lipoprint).
RESULTS: Serum level of obestatin was significantly lower in NDO patients compared
to controls (3.01 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.29 +/- 0.6 mug/ml, p < 0.05). We found significant
negative correlations between the level of obestatin and BMI (r = - 0.33; p < 0.001),
level of serum glucose (r = - 0.27, p < 0.05), HbA1c (r = - 0.38; p < 0.001) and insulin
(r = - 0.34; p < 0.05). Significant positive correlation was found between obestatin
level and the levels of ApoA1 (r = 0.25; p < 0.05), large HDL subfraction ratio and
level (r = 0.23; p < 0.05 and r = 0.24; p < 0.05), IDL (r = 0.25 p < 0.05) and mean
LDL size (r = 0.25; p < 0.05). Serum VLDL ratio and level negatively correlated with
obestatin (r = - 0.32; p < 0.01 and r = - 0.21; p = 0.05). In multiple regression
analysis obestatin was predicted only by VLDL level. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data,
measurement of obestatin level in obesity may contribute to understand the interplay
between gastrointestinal hormone secretion and metabolic alterations in obesity.
