BACKGROUND Retinol binding protein-4 (BP-4) a new adipocytokine, specifically binds to retinol, through experimental studies, reported its link between obesity and insulin resistance (IR). But till date no studies are available on influence of genetic predisposition of diabetes on RBP-4 expression. Hence, we aimed to study the influence of genetic predisposition of diabetes on the serum RBP-4 a...

RBP, a transcriptional repressor, is intricately involved in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transformation of human B cells. The EBV nuclear proteins EBNA-2, -3, -4 and -6 all utilize RBP to regulate the transcription of both cellular and viral genes. This study investigates the isoforms of the RBP protein in Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells and in EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Two-d...

INTRODUCTION Secretory products from adipocytes may contribute to deterioration in glycaemic control and increased insulin resistance (IR). Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP-4) may increase IR in mice, with elevated levels in insulin-resistant mice and humans with obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, the mechanisms regulating RBP-4 synthesis remain not fully understood. It is not clear whether sh...

BACKGROUND Retinol-binding protein (RBP) is accepted as a surrogate biochemical marker for retinol to determine vitamin A (VA) status. A recently developed enzyme immunoassay for RBP uses serum or whole blood stored as dried blood spots (DBS). However, the stability of RBP in DBS has not been examined. METHODS RBP stability was studied in a laboratory and in field conditions in northern Kenya...

Here we define activities of RIM-binding protein (RBP) that are essential for baseline neurotransmission and presynaptic homeostatic plasticity. At baseline, rbp mutants have a ∼10-fold decrease in the apparent Ca(2+) sensitivity of release that we attribute to (1) impaired presynaptic Ca(2+) influx, (2) looser coupling of vesicles to Ca(2+) influx, and (3) limited access to the readily releasa...

A human plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP) mutant, named RBP-S, has been designed and produced in which the six native cysteine residues, involved in the formation of three disulfide bonds, have been replaced with serine. A hexa-histidine tag was also added to the C-terminus of RBP for ease of purification. The removal of the disulfide bonds led to a decrease in the affinity of RBP for all tr...

Administration of estradiol-17 beta to male Xenopus laevis induces the hepatic mRNA coding for the serum retinol binding protein (RBP) approximately 10-fold, both in vivo and in primary liver cultures. Estrogen induction of RBP mRNA is completely blocked by the anti-estrogen, hydroxytamoxifen. Testosterone administration reduces the elevated level of RBP mRNA observed in livers of female X. lae...

Visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4) play an important role in insulin resistance. The objectives of this study were to measure visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and RBP-4 concentrations in blood, liver, muscle, subcutaneous, omental, and mesenteric adipose tissues in morbidly obese subjects and investigate their relationship to insulin resistance. Blood and tissue samples were c...

PURPOSE To identify genes with altered expression levels in the degenerating retina in a light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) model. METHODS Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to intense green light for 4 hours. After this treatment, the retinas were excised, RNA was extracted, and a cDNA library was prepared. The cDNA library was differentially cross-screened with probes representin...

OBJECTIVE We wanted to investigate whether there is a relationship between circulating irisin, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), adiponectin and proinflammatory mediators implicated in the development of insulin resistance (IR) in metabolic syndrome (MetS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS In 180 individuals, including controls and patients with MetS, we measured fasting plasma insulin, high sensitivity...