Association of serum bone morphogenetic protein 4 levels with obesity and metabolic syndrome in non-diabetic individuals

• Published in: Endocrine Journal 2011, Vol.58(1), pp.39-46
• Main Authors: Son, Jang-Won, Kim, Mee-Kyoung, Park, Yong-Moon, Baek, Ki-Hyun, Yoo, Soon-Jib, Song, Ki-Ho, Son, Hyun Shik, Yoon, Kun-Ho, Lee, Won Chul, Cha, Bong-Yun, Son, Ho-Young, Kwon, Hyuk-Sang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiposity; Adult; Aged; Body Mass Index; Bone morphogenetic protein; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cohort Studies; Fasting; Female; Humans; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - blood; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Prospective Studies; Triglycerides - blood; Waist-Hip Ratio
• ISSN: 0918-8959; 1348-4540
• DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.K10E-248

Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) is involved in the earliest stages of adipocyte differentiation and is recognized as an adipogenic factor for white adipose tissue. The association of serum BMP-4 levels with anthropometric and metabolic parameters has not been previously studied. We aimed to explore the relationship of serum BMP-4 levels with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Serum BMP-4 levels were measured in 104 non-diabetic individuals from the Chungju Metabolic Disease Cohort Study. Anthropometric measurements and components of metabolic syndrome were assessed in all patients. Serum BMP-4 levels were significantly increased in individuals with obesity or metabolic syndrome. After adjusting for age and gender, serum BMP-4 levels were positively correlated with body mass index, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, fasting plasma insulin, homeostasis model assessment index, and triglycerides and were negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Among these parameters, WC and HDL cholesterol were found to be independent contributing factors for serum BMP-4 levels. Serum BMP-4 levels were also significantly higher in subjects with positive diagnostic criteria for each component of metabolic syndrome. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for BMP-4 was 0.661 (P = 0.022, 95% CI = 0.528 to 0.794) and the cut-off value was 2.84 pg/mL. This is the first demonstration that serum BMP-4 levels are associated with adiposity, insulin resistance, and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Whether BMP-4 may be involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic syndrome deserves further investigation.