High serum chemerin level in CKD patients is related to kidney function, but not to its adipose tissue overproduction

Chemerin is an adipokine modulating inflammatory response and affecting glucose and lipid metabolism. These disturbances are common in CKD. The aim of the study was: (a) to evaluate circulating chemerin level at different stages of CKD; (b) to measure subcutaneous adipose tissue chemerin gene expression; (c) to estimate the efficiency of renal replacement therapy in serum chemerin removal. 187 patients were included into the study: a) 58 patients with CKD; (b) 29 patients on hemodialysis; (c) 20 patients after kidney transplantation. 80 subjects constituted control group. Serum chemerin concentration was estimated by ELISA. The adipose tissue chemerin mRNA level was measured by RT-qPCR. The mean serum chemerin concentration in CKD patients was 70% higher than in the control group (122.9 +/- 33.7 vs. 72.6 +/- 20.7 ng/mL; p<0.001) and it negatively correlated with eGFR (r = -0.71, p<0.001). The equally high plasma chemerin level was found in HD patients and a HD session decreased it markedly (115.7 +/- 17.6 vs. 101.5 +/- 16.4 ng/mL; p<0.001). Only successful kidney transplantation allowed it to get down to the values noted in controls (74.8 +/- 16.0 vs. 72.6 +/- 20.7 ng/mL; n. s.). The level of subcutaneous adipose tissue chemerin mRNA in CKD patients was not different than in patients of the control group. The study demonstrates that elevated serum chemerin concentration in CKD patients: (a) is related to kidney function, but not to increased chemerin production by subcutaneous adipose tissue, and (b) it can be efficiently corrected by hemodialysis treatment and normalized by kidney transplantation.