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. 2021 Jul;95(1):101-106.
doi: 10.1111/cen.14459. Epub 2021 Mar 28.

Relationship between de novo lipogenesis and serum sex hormone binding globulin in humans

Pomme I H G Simons  1   2   3 , Olivier Valkenburg  4 , Ine Telgenkamp  1   2 , Koen M van der Waaij  1   2 , David M de Groot  1 , Pandichelvam Veeraiah  5   6 , Judith A P Bons  7 , Marja-Riitta Taskinen  8 , Jan Borén  9 , Patrick Schrauwen  5 , Joost H W Rutten  10 , David Cassiman  11 , Casper G Schalkwijk  2   3 , Coen D A Stehouwer  2   3   12 , Vera B Schrauwen-Hinderling  5   6 , Leanne Hodson  13   14 , Martijn C G J Brouwers  1   3
Affiliations

Relationship between de novo lipogenesis and serum sex hormone binding globulin in humans

Pomme I H G Simons et al. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: Obesity and liver fat are associated with decreased levels of serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Laboratory studies suggest that hepatic de novo lipogenesis (DNL) is involved in the downregulation of SHBG synthesis. The aim of the present study was to address the role of DNL on serum SHBG in humans.

Design: A cross-sectional study examining the association between DNL, measured by stable isotopes, and serum SHBG, stratified by sex.

Participants: Healthy men (n = 34) and women (n = 21) were combined from two cross-sectional studies. Forty-two per cent of participants had hepatic steatosis, and the majority were overweight (62%) or obese (27%).

Results: DNL was inversely associated with SHBG in women (β: -0.015, 95% CI: -0.030; 0.000), but not in men (β: 0.007, 95% CI: -0.005; 0.019) (p for interaction = .068). Adjustment for study population, age and body mass index did not materially change these results, although statistical significance was lost after adjustment for serum insulin.

Conclusions: An inverse association between DNL and SHBG may explain the decreased SHBG levels that are observed in obesity, at least in women.

Keywords: de novo lipogenesis; liver fat; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; polycystic ovary syndrome; sex hormone binding globulin; stable isotopes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Association between de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and intrahepatic lipid (IHL) content stratified by study population, that is Oxford (closed circles) and Maastricht (open circles)
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels in obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) and non‐obese (BMI <30 kg/m2) men (A) and women (B). Data are expressed as median with interquartile range. Differences between groups were analysed with linear regression analyses, adjusted for study population
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Associations between de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in men (A) and women (B). Data are stratified by study cohort, that is Oxford cohort (closed circles) and Maastricht cohort (open circles)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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