Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) was found to be effective in reducing body weight and improving insulin resistance in patients with obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The adipokine/myokine meteorin-like (METNRL) is an important regulator of whole-body energy expenditure. Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3), a regulator of METRNL expression in eosinophils, inhibits the beiging of adipose tissue in mice and therefore regulates adipose tissue development.
Thirty-three obese patients undergoing LAGB were included in the study. The hepatic and adipose tissue expression of and was determined before (t0) and 6 months after (t6) LABG. The human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) was stimulated with cytokines and fatty acids and and expressions were analyzed.
LAGB-associated weight loss was correlated with decreased hepatic expression. The expression of and in hepatic-and adipose tissues correlated before and after LAGB. Individuals with augmented LAGB-induced weight loss (>20 kg) showed lower hepatic and expression before and after LAGB than patients with <20 kg weight loss. and levels were higher in patients with higher NAFLD activity scores. HepG2 stimulation with interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, palmitic acid but not interleukin-6, oleic acid, or lipopolysaccharide, induced the expression of one or both investigated adipokines.
The novel description of METRNL and KLF3 as hepatokines could pave the way to target their production and/or signaling in obesity, NAFLD, and related disorders. Both proteins may act as possible biomarkers to estimate weight loss after bariatric surgery.

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