Abstract

Vaspin and Retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) are new adipokines mainly produced by adipose tissue. Considering that medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a malignant neuroendocrine tumor, and to date the relationship between serum levels of vaspin and RBP4 with MTC has not been studied, in this matched case-control study we evaluated their possible significance to this tumor type. A total of 45 patients with MTC (21 males and 24 females) and 45 healthy persons as a control group (24 males and 21 females) were selected. The two groups were matched for age, sex and body mass index. Serum Vaspin and RBP4 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods in both groups. Also, weight and height were measured and body mass index was calculated too. In total, patients with MTC had significantly higher serum vaspin levels compared to the controls (0.52 ng/ml vs. 0.45 ng/ml, P=0.0241). However, no significant difference was found in serum RBP4 concentrations between the patients with MTC and the controls (15.2±2.55 μg/ml versus 15.1±3.34 μg/ml, p>0.05). The results of this study demonstrated that serum RBP4 levels in MTC patients are not significantly different from those found in healthy individuals and did not correlate with MTC. On the other hand, higher levels of serum vaspin are associated with an increased risk of MTC. Thus Vaspin may be a novel and promising biomarker for diagnosis or confirmation of MTC in conjunction other specific tumor markers.

Highlights

  • During the past decade, Studies suggest that adipose tissue is a fat depot, storing energy and regulating energy balance, and as an active endocrine organ has a major role in the secretion of a large number of bioactive peptides, collectively called Adipokines or Adipocytokines (Ouchi et al, 2011; Bluher, 2014)

  • Considering that medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a malignant neuroendocrine tumor, and to date the relationship between serum levels of vaspin and Retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) with MTC has not been studied, in this matched case-control study we evaluated their possible significance to this tumor type

  • We evaluated the relationship of serum VAT-derived serine protease inhibitor (Vaspin) and RBP4 levels with medullary thyroid carcinoma

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Summary

Introduction

Studies suggest that adipose tissue is a fat depot, storing energy and regulating energy balance, and as an active endocrine organ has a major role in the secretion of a large number of bioactive peptides, collectively called Adipokines or Adipocytokines (Ouchi et al, 2011; Bluher, 2014). Adipokines play important roles in the modulation of a number of signaling cascades in target tissues. They have a role in obesity, blood pressure, glucose and lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, inflammation and atherosclerosis in a paracrine and/ or endocrine manner (Sahin-Efe et al, 2012; Jung and Choi, 2014). Considering that medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a malignant neuroendocrine tumor, and to date the relationship between serum levels of vaspin and RBP4 with MTC has not been studied, in this matched case-control study we evaluated their possible significance to this tumor type. Results: In total, patients with MTC had significantly higher serum vaspin levels compared to the controls (0.52ng/ml vs 0.45ng/ml, P=0.0241). Vaspin may be a novel and promising biomarker for diagnosis or confirmation of MTC in conjunction other specific tumor markers

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