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Retinal Pathophysiological Evaluation in a Rat Model

Retinal Pathophysiological Evaluation in a Rat Model

Published on: May 6, 2022

RBP-to-retinol ratio, but not total RBP, is elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes.

C Erikstrup¹, O H Mortensen, A R Nielsen

¹Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism

|February 14, 2009

Summary

The ratio of retinol-binding protein (RBP) to retinol, not RBP alone, is a better indicator of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This imbalance may explain RBP

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Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Metabolic Syndrome Research
Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

Serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) is linked to insulin resistance.
An imbalance between RBP and retinol may underlie this association.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the RBP-to-retinol ratio in relation to glucose tolerance and metabolic markers.
To determine if the RBP-to-retinol ratio is a more accurate indicator of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) than RBP alone.

Main Methods:

Studied the RBP-to-retinol ratio in 233 humans across normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and T2DM groups.
Analyzed correlations with lipids, C-reactive protein, and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, TNF-alpha).

Main Results:

Patients with T2DM had lower plasma RBP and retinol but a higher RBP-to-retinol ratio.
The RBP-to-retinol ratio correlated positively with glucose levels and C-reactive protein.
RBP and retinol levels showed inverse relationships with interleukin-6, while RBP mRNA correlated with TNF-alpha.

Conclusions:

The RBP-to-retinol ratio, indicating RBP excess relative to retinol, is more indicative of T2DM than RBP levels alone.
This ratio may explain insulin resistance observed in RBP overexpression studies.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) might mediate crosstalk between adipose tissue and muscle.