Circulating Betatrophin Levels Are Increased in Anorexia and Decreased in Morbidly Obese Women.

Abstract

Betatrophin is produced primarily by liver and adipose tissue and has been recently reported as a novel hormone promoting β-cell proliferation and β-cell mass and improving glucose tolerance. Because it is markedly regulated by nutritional status, we hypothesized that circulating betatrophin levels might be affected by pathophysiological conditions altering body weight. We analyzed circulating betatrophin levels in 149 female patients, including 99 with extreme body mass index (30 anorexia nervosa, 24 obese, 45 morbid obese, and 50 healthy eating/weight controls). Serum betatrophin levels and its correlations with different anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured. Plasma betatrophin levels were significantly elevated in anorexic patients, whereas its levels were reduced in morbidly obese women when compared with normal-weight women. Plasma betatrophin correlated negatively with weight, body mass index, fat percentage, glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment index and positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein. These results suggest that metabolic status is an important regulator of circulating betatrophin levels.