Plasma Amino Acids in NAFLD Patients with Obesity Are Associated with Steatosis and Fibrosis: Results from the MAST4HEALTH Study
Athina I. Amanatidou,
Eleni V. Mikropoulou,
Charalampia Amerikanou,
Maja Milanovic,
Stefan Stojanoski,
Mladen Bjelan,
Lucia Cesarini,
Jonica Campolo,
Anastasia Thanopoulou,
Rajarshi Banerjee,
Mary Jo Kurth,
Natasa Milic,
Milica Medic-Stojanoska,
Maria Giovanna Trivella,
Sophie Visvikis-Siest,
Amalia Gastaldelli,
Maria Halabalaki,
Andriana C. Kaliora,
George V. Dedoussis,
on behalf of the Mast4Health consortium
Affiliations
Athina I. Amanatidou
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Eleni V. Mikropoulou
Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece
Charalampia Amerikanou
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Maja Milanovic
Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Stefan Stojanoski
Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Mladen Bjelan
Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Lucia Cesarini
Division of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano, 20162 Milan, Italy
Jonica Campolo
Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, 56124 Milan, Italy
Anastasia Thanopoulou
Diabetes Center, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital of Athens, 15772 Athens, Greece
Rajarshi Banerjee
Perspectum Ltd., Oxford OX4 2LL, UK
Mary Jo Kurth
Clinical Studies Group, Randox Laboratories Ltd., Crumlin BT29 4RN, UK
Natasa Milic
Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Milica Medic-Stojanoska
Faculty of Medicine Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Maria Giovanna Trivella
Institute of Clinical Physiology National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Sophie Visvikis-Siest
INSERM UMR U1122, IGE-PCV, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Lorraine, 30 Rue Lionnois, 54000 Nancy, France
Amalia Gastaldelli
Institute of Clinical Physiology National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Maria Halabalaki
Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece
Andriana C. Kaliora
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
George V. Dedoussis
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been linked to changes in amino acid (AA) levels. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between MRI parameters that reflect inflammation and fibrosis and plasma AA concentrations in NAFLD patients. Plasma AA levels of 97 NAFLD patients from the MAST4HEALTH study were quantified with liquid chromatography. Medical, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics were collected and biochemical parameters, as well as inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, were measured. In total, subjects with a higher MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) exhibited higher plasma AA levels compared to subjects with lower PDFF. The concentrations of BCAAs (p-Value: 0.03), AAAs (p-Value: 0.039), L-valine (p-Value: 0.029), L-tyrosine (p-Value: 0.039) and L-isoleucine (p-Value: 0.032) were found to be significantly higher in the higher PDFF group compared to lower group. Plasma AA levels varied according to MRI-PDFF. Significant associations were also demonstrated between AAs and MRI-PDFF and MRI-cT1, showing the potential utility of circulating AAs as diagnostic markers of NAFLD.
