Insulin sensitivity and RBP4

The serum levels of retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) are increased in patients with type 2 diabetes and correlate positively with several components of the metabolic syndrome. In rodents, circulating RBP4 correlate positively with insulin resistance and RBP4 directly induces insulin resistance. While RBP4 production is reported in human adipocytes, data on any association between RBP4 and insulin sensitivity in humans is inconclusive. Vestergaard and colleagues report that insulin resistance induced by either ghrelin infusion in hypopituitary men or GH treatment in healthy young men is not associated with serum RBP4.

Read the full article in Vestergaard et al (2013) Endocrine Connections 2 96–103 DOI: 10.1530/EC-13-0019.