The circulating PBEF/NAMPT/visfatin level is associated with a beneficial blood lipid profile

Abstract

Visfatin with the official gene name pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor 1 (PBEF) and the protein name nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is a recently discovered adipocyte-secreted protein that was shown by some to be associated with visceral fat and insulin resistance. To explore the link between PBEF/ NAMPT/visfatin and lipid metabolism, we analyzed the relation of its plasma level with several parameters of adiposity, insulin resistance and the circulating blood lipid profile in a group of general population (n=40) and a group of subjects who are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia (n=35). In both groups and pooled cohort, PBEF/NAMPT/visfatin lacked association with whole body adiposity, but correlated positively with HDL-cholesterol and negatively with triglycerides. The data suggested a negative correlation of the PBEF level with visceral fat and insulin resistance. But this negative correlation completely disappeared after adjustment for lipid profile. We concluded that circulating PBEF/NAMPT/ visfatin level is an indicator of beneficial lipid profile in non-diabetic Caucasian subjects. The relation to lipid metabolism does not depend on visceral obesity and insulin resistance, but may be linked to its enzymatic function in NAD metabolism.

Visfatin concentration is decreased in women with gestational diabetes mellitus in the third trimester

“…Therefore, the association of maternal visfatin with the degree of fetal insulin sensitivity or resistance deserves further investigation. Visfatin concentrations have been reported to be negatively correlated with HOMA-IR and TG in a study covering the relatives of the patients with familial hyperlipidemia and non-diabetic subjects (26). In the current study, we also found that plasma visfatin levels were negatively correlated with TG and VLDL-C in all subjects.…”

Serum visfatin and vaspin levels in normoglycemic first-degree relatives of Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…Positive correlations between visfatin concentrations and total cholesterol [39], HDLcholesterol [40,41] and triglyceride levels [39] were observed by other authors. In contrast, negative correlations between visfatin concentrations and LDL-cholesterol [40], HDLcholesterol and triglyceride [41] levels were reported. Zahorska-Markiewicz did not observe a correlation between visfatin concentrations and lipids in both the obese and lean groups [37].…”

Association of increased Visfatin/PBEF/NAMPT circulating concentrations and gene expression levels in peripheral blood cells with lipid metabolism and fatty liver in human morbid obesity

“…In line with this observation, a role of NAMPT in lipid metabolism has been put forward due to its strong correlation with serum triglycerides independently of age and BF [47,48] and with total-and LDL-cholesterol [49]. Contrarily, plasma NAMPT levels have been associated with a high HDL-cholesterol/low triglyceride plasma lipid profile [50]. The different results obtained might be explained by the non-fasting samples used in the latter study.…”