Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a newly discovered adipokine associated with insulin resistance severity. In order to investigate the possible relationship between RBP4 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD), Seo et al. conducted a cross-sectional study in 95 males and 64 females who were classified on the basis of NAFLD severity (assessed by ultrasonography). Among all anthropometric and metabolic markers, body mass index, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of insulin resistance, HDL cholesterol, and RBP4 were positively associated with NAFLD in a multiple logistic regression model. Waist circumference, triglycerides, uric acid, and the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and g-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) were the parameters that showed the highest correlation coefficients with RBP4. The relationship between GGT and RBP4 was even found to be independent of age, gender, body mass index, and HOMA. These results suggest that RBP4 plays a role in the insulin resistance observed with hepatic fat.
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