Serum obestatin level strongly correlates with lipoprotein subfractions in non-diabetic obese patients

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.

Fifty NDO patients (BMI: 41.96 ± 8.6 kg/m²) and thirty-two normal-weight, age- and gender-matched healthy controls (BMI: 24.16 ± 3.3 kg/m²) 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).

Serum level of obestatin was significantly lower in NDO patients compared to controls (3.01 ± 0.5 vs. 3.29 ± 0.6 μg/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.

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.