Circulating Betatrophin Levels Are Increased in Anorexia and Decreased in Morbidly Obese Women.

Betatrophin is produced primarily by liver and adipose tissue and has been recently reported as a novel hormone promoting β-cell proliferation and β-cell mass and improving glucose tolerance.Because it is markedly regulated by nutritional status, we hypothesized that circulating betatrophin levels might be affected by pathophysiological conditions altering body weight.We analyzed circulating betatrophin levels in 149 female patients, including 99 with extreme body mass index (30 anorexia nervosa, 24 obese, 45 morbid obese, and 50 healthy eating/weight controls).Serum betatrophin levels and its correlations with different anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured.Plasma betatro…