Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. The role of adipokines in liver diseases is increasingly recognized and involves multiple contributing factors. Therefore, we summarized the relationship between c...

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Main Authors: Yani Ke, Yuyan Pan, Xueru Huang, Xing Bai, Xiaojuan Liu, Mingsi Zhang, Tao Jiang, Guangji Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1548924/full
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author Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Mingsi Zhang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
author_facet Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Mingsi Zhang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
author_sort Yani Ke
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. The role of adipokines in liver diseases is increasingly recognized and involves multiple contributing factors. Therefore, we summarized the relationship between circulating adipokines and HCC to guide directions for future research.MethodsSix databases were searched, and all data were presented as standardized mean difference (SMD) or weighted mean difference (WMD). Sensitivity analysis and meta-regression were also performed. Diagnostic meta-analysis results were primarily presented using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.ResultsA total of 41 articles were included in this meta-analysis. HCC patients had significantly higher levels of circulating adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and resistin compared to the controls (SMD = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.65-2.56; SMD = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.59-3.31; SMD = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.32-3.65; SMD = 4.17, 95% CI: 3.17-5.17, respectively). Conversely, circulating irisin levels in HCC patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (WMD = -1.16, 95% CI: -1.55, -0.77). Subgroup analysis identified possible sources of heterogeneity, whereas meta-regression confirmed that only the presence or absence of viral hepatitis was the source of high heterogeneity among leptin-related studies. Additionally, the meta-analysis results of diagnostic studies show that circulating visfatin demonstrates good diagnostic value for HCC, which may be helpful for clinical practice.ConclusionThere is a significant association between circulating adipokines and HCC, and the presence of viral hepatitis is an influencing factor. Most adipokines are differentially expressed in HCC patients, and some may serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis or prognostic assessment.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023492972.
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spelling doaj-art-2aa8da6dcaa143cd853e4b7219fb84352025-08-20T03:30:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-06-011610.3389/fendo.2025.15489241548924Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysisYani Ke0Yani Ke1Yani Ke2Yuyan Pan3Yuyan Pan4Yuyan Pan5Xueru Huang6Xueru Huang7Xueru Huang8Xing Bai9Xing Bai10Xing Bai11Xiaojuan Liu12Xiaojuan Liu13Xiaojuan Liu14Mingsi Zhang15Tao Jiang16Tao Jiang17Tao Jiang18Guangji Zhang19Guangji Zhang20Guangji Zhang21School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Epinal Way, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United KingdomSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaKey Laboratory of Blood-stasis-toxin Syndrome of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaTraditional Chinese Medicine “Preventing Disease” Wisdom Health Project Research Center of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaBackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant tumors, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. The role of adipokines in liver diseases is increasingly recognized and involves multiple contributing factors. Therefore, we summarized the relationship between circulating adipokines and HCC to guide directions for future research.MethodsSix databases were searched, and all data were presented as standardized mean difference (SMD) or weighted mean difference (WMD). Sensitivity analysis and meta-regression were also performed. Diagnostic meta-analysis results were primarily presented using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.ResultsA total of 41 articles were included in this meta-analysis. HCC patients had significantly higher levels of circulating adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and resistin compared to the controls (SMD = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.65-2.56; SMD = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.59-3.31; SMD = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.32-3.65; SMD = 4.17, 95% CI: 3.17-5.17, respectively). Conversely, circulating irisin levels in HCC patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (WMD = -1.16, 95% CI: -1.55, -0.77). Subgroup analysis identified possible sources of heterogeneity, whereas meta-regression confirmed that only the presence or absence of viral hepatitis was the source of high heterogeneity among leptin-related studies. Additionally, the meta-analysis results of diagnostic studies show that circulating visfatin demonstrates good diagnostic value for HCC, which may be helpful for clinical practice.ConclusionThere is a significant association between circulating adipokines and HCC, and the presence of viral hepatitis is an influencing factor. Most adipokines are differentially expressed in HCC patients, and some may serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis or prognostic assessment.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023492972.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1548924/fullHCChepatocellular carcinomaadipokineadiponectinleptinmeta-analysis
spellingShingle Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yani Ke
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Yuyan Pan
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xueru Huang
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xing Bai
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Xiaojuan Liu
Mingsi Zhang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Tao Jiang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
Guangji Zhang
Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
Frontiers in Endocrinology
HCC
hepatocellular carcinoma
adipokine
adiponectin
leptin
meta-analysis
title Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
title_full Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
title_short Correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis
title_sort correlations between circulating adipokines and hepatocellular carcinoma a systematic review and meta analysis
topic HCC
hepatocellular carcinoma
adipokine
adiponectin
leptin
meta-analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1548924/full
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