Affiliations: Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and Dr. Mohans'
Diabetes Specialities Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Non-Communicable
Diseases Prevention and Control, IDF Centre of Education, Gopalapuram, Chennai, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: M. Balasubramanyam, Department of Cell and
Molecular Biology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai 600086, India.
Tel.: +91 44 28359048; Fax: +91 44 28350935; E-mail: drbalu@mdrf.in, balusignal@gmail.com
Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study is to measure the extent of
oxidative stress and to see whether it has any correlation to changes in
adiponectin levels in NAFLD subjects with and without Type 2 diabetes. Methods: Subjects recruited from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study
comprise of 1: Normal Glucose Tolerance (NGT) subjects without NAFLD; 2: NGT
with NAFLD; 3: Type 2 Diabetic patients [T2DM] without NAFLD and 4: T2DM with
NAFLD. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PCO),
glutathione and adiponectin levels were measured by standard methods.
Ultrasound of the liver was used to diagnose NAFLD. Results: T2DM subjects with NAFLD had significantly (p< 0.001) higher levels of
thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyls (PCO) but
lower (p< 0.001) GSH/GSSG ratio and adiponectin levels compared to other
three groups. The association of hypoadiponectinemia with NAFLD/Type 2 diabetes
was significant even after adjusting for age, gender and BMI, but lost when
adjusted for parameters of oxidative stress. While palmitate significantly
reduced GSH/GSSG ratio in hepatocytes, addition of exogenous recombinant
adiponectin restored the GSH/GSSG ratio comparable to those of untreated cells. Conclusion: There exists an association of hypoglutathionemia and
hypoadiponectinemia in subjects with NAFLD and/or T2DM. In addition to the
known beneficial effects, out study also exposes the antioxidant nature of
adiponectin.
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, NAFLD, glutathione, adiponectin, oxidative stress
