Relationships among acylation stimulating protein, adiponectin and complement C3 in lean vs obese type 2 diabetes

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between adipocyte hormones acylation stimulating protein (ASP), adiponectin, complement C3 (C3) (ASP precursor) and insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), lipid profiles and insulin resistance in lean vs obese type 2 diabetes subjects.

Lean type 2 diabetes subjects (DL n = 27) vs obese type 2 diabetes subjects (DO n = 55) were compared to age-matched nondiabetic groups (Obese, OB n = 55 and control, CTL n = 50).

The DO group demonstrated significant increases in plasma ASP and C3 with decreases in plasma adiponectin as compared to CTL. Interestingly, these increases in ASP and C3 were as high, or greater, in the DL group in spite of normal weight. By contrast adiponectin in the DL group was comparable to CTL, in spite of marked insulin resistance. C3 correlated with insulin, glucose and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); ASP correlated with body mass index (BMI), glucose, insulin and plasma lipid parameters (non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglyceride, cholesterol and apolipoprotein B). Adiponectin correlated with BMI, glucose, NEFA, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 but not HOMA-IR, ASP or C3. CRP correlated only with HOMA-IR.

Increased ASP and C3 are both associated with diabetes and related lipid factors but are not regulated coordinately. Adiponectin appears to be more closely related to body size (decreased in obese subjects) than insulin resistance in these subjects.