Association of leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) with NAFLD, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis

Abstract

Objective: Previous studies have shown that leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2), a recently discovered hepatokine, is associated with the inflammatory response and insulin resistance. We examined circulating plasma LECT2 levels in the subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic syndrome.

Methods: We analyzed plasma LECT2 levels from the subjects of age- and sex-matched 320 adults with or without NAFLD who completed a health check-up at the Health Promotion Center of Korea University Guro Hospital.

Results: Individuals with NAFLD showed significantly higher LECT2 levels (31.2 [20.9, 41.5] vs. 24.5[16.3, 32.7] ng/ml, P <0.001) as well as components of MetS compared to those without NAFLD. Furthermore, circulating LECT2 concentrations were greater in subjects with MetS (32.6 [17.8, 45.0] vs. 27.0 [18.7, 33.7] ng/ml, P = 0.016) and were associated with anthropometric measures of obesity, lipid profiles, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and liver aminotransferase levels. However, there was no significant relationship between LECT2 levels and indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis, such as carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Multivariate analysis demonstrated a progressively increasing trend of odds ratios for NAFLD according to quartiles of LECT2 levels after adjusting for risk factors, although the relationship was attenuated after further adjustment for waist circumference and lipid levels.

Conclusion: Circulating LECT2 concentrations were increased in individuals with NAFLD and those with MetS, but not in those with atherosclerosis. The relationship between LECT2 and both NAFLD and MetS might be mediated by its association with abdominal obesity and lipid metabolism.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01594710.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1. Comparison of circulating leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) concentrations in the subjects with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) vs. those without NAFLD (31.2 [20.9, 41.5] vs. 24.5 [16.3, 32.7] ng/ml, P <0.001).

P-values represent the results of a Mann-Whitney test that was conducted to detect differences between the two groups.

Fig 2. Comparison of circulating leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) concentrations in the subjects with metabolic syndrome (n = 96) vs. those without metabolic syndrome (n = 224) (32.6 [17.8, 45.0] vs. 27.0 [18.7, 33.7] ng/ml, P = 0.016).

P-values represent the results of a Mann-Whitney test that was conducted to detect differences between the two groups.