Serum Fetuin-A Levels Related with Microalbuminuria in Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Abstract EN

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between elevated serum fetuin-A and increased urine albumin excretion in obese rats, and whether increased urine albumin excretion was modified by improving hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism disorder.

Male Wistar rats 4 weeks in age were randomly divided into three groups and fed with normal chow (control group), high-fat chow (obesity group), or high-fat chow plus fenofibrate (fenofibrate group).

After 24 weeks, both body weight and visceral fat/body weight ratio in obese rats were higher than in controls.

A difference in serology markers and pathology associated with hepatic steatosis was also found among the three groups.

Serum fetuin-A and the expression of NF-κB in the liver were increased, while serum adiponectin was decreased in obese rats in comparison to controls (P<0.01).

Urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) was increased in the obesity group compared to controls (P<0.01).

The fenofibrate intervention reduced serum fetuin-A and NF-κB expression in the liver and increased serum adiponectin compared to obese rats and was accompanied by decrease in ACR.

A positive correlation was found between ACR and fetuin-A (r=0.602, P<0.01), and a negative correlation was found between ACR and adiponectin (r=−0.635, P<0.01).

We conclude that elevated fetuin-A levels are associated with microalbuminuria in obese rats, and abnormal albuminuria is reversible by improving hepatic steatosis.