Association of Circulating Paraoxonase 3 and GDF-15 levels with hepatic lipid metabolism disorder in MAFLD patients.

OBJECTIVE

Hepatocytes secrete various factors that regulate in vivo lipid metabolism. This study aimed to screen for differential serum proteins in patients with MAFLD using proteomics technology and to investigate the potential correlations between these protein factors and hepatic lipid metabolism disorders in MAFLD patients.

METHODS

The study included 84 MAFLD patients and 84 healthy controls. Serum protein concentrations were measured by proteomics and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

PON3 levels were significantly lower in MAFLD patients than in controls (78.51 [51.76, 103.42] vs. 92.51 [64.34, 159.68], P = 0.0004), whereas GDF-15 levels were significantly higher (542.83 [438.85, 740.23] vs. 472.62 [357.50, 555.96], P = 0.0002). In MAFLD patients, PON3 negatively correlated with HDL-C (r = -0.322; P < 0.01). Similarly, GDF-15 positively correlated with GGT (r = 0.411; P < 0.01), ALT (r = 0.344; P < 0.01), AST (r = 0.322; P < 0.01), and TC (r = 0.242; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MAFLD patients exhibit lower serum PON3 and higher GDF-15 levels, both of which significantly correlate with hepatic lipid metabolism. PON3 and GDF-15 may serve as potential biomarkers for MAFLD.