BACKGROUND: Fetuin-A, also called Alpha 2-Heremans Schmid Glycoprotein, is a multifunctional plasma agent what has been proven in animal and human studies. It plays a role as a physiological inhibitor of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase associated with insulin resistance and a negative acute phase reactant. It also regulates bone remodeling and calcium metabolism being an important inhibitor of calcium salt precipitation and vascular calcifications. METHODS: PubMed database was searched for articles from 2002 up to December 2014 to identify the role of fetuin-A in the pathogenesis of selected internal diseases. RESULTS: Due to secretion of fetuin-A mainly by the liver, it may be a marker of liver function and predictor of mortality in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. The associations between high fetuin-A and metabolic syndrome as well as its hepatic manifestation- nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and atherogenic lipid profile have been well proven. However, fetuin-A relation with BMI is not so clear. Contrary to few reports, many authors suggest that fetuin-A may be an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes and marker of diabetic complications. Close associations of high and low fetuin-A concentrations with cardiovascular diseases and mortality risk have been reported which is explained by differences in analyzed populations, stages of atherosclerosis and calcifications, coexistence of type 2 diabetes or kidney dysfunction and different main pathways of fetuin-A actions in various diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Fetuin-A has a diagnostic potential as a biomarker for liver dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases and disorders associated with metabolic syndrome.
- MeSH
- biologické markery krev MeSH
- fetuin A metabolismus MeSH
- inzulinová rezistence fyziologie MeSH
- kardiovaskulární nemoci krev MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- metabolické nemoci krev MeSH
- nemoci jater krev MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
