C1q/TNF-related Proteins in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by an accumulation of fat in the liver, which is one of the most common forms of chronic liver disease in developed countries. In western countries, the prevalence of NAFLD in the general population is estimated to be 20-30%; in obese populations, this increases to 57.5-74%. But, it hasn't been clearly elucidated yet regarding the underlying disease pathophysiology and treatmet strategy. Recently, members of the C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein (CTRP) family have been reported to share structural homology with adiponectin. To date, 15 CTRP family members have been found that might play major roles in glucose metabolism and inflammation. The investigators tried to clarify the relationship between CTRP family and NAFLD in Korean men and women.