Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Measurement of Differentially Methylated INS DNA Species in Human Serum Samples as a Biomarker of Islet β Cell Death
Published on: December 21, 2016
Serum monomeric α2-macroglobulin as a clinical biomarker in diabetes
Tesshu Takada1, Yoshio Kodera, Madoka Matsubara
1Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan.
Objective:
Despite the number of potential biomarker proteins for diabetes, very few of them have proven useful as clinically beneficial indicators, because of the technical difficulties associated with their identification among highly abundant serum proteins. We attempted to identify a protein with distinguishable expression in human diabetes.
Methods:
We applied a highly efficient strategy for the purification of endogenous low abundance proteins from diabetic and non-diabetic serum samples. Extracted sera were fractionated by SDS-PAGE and protein bands were isolated and analyzed by mass spectrometry using an ion-trap mass spectrometer. The identities of the proteins were confirmed by western blotting and the serum levels evaluated.
Results:
A significantly upregulated protein in diabetic patients was identified as monomeric α2-macroglobulin. Its tetramer, another dominant circulating molecular form, was only marginally increased in diabetes.
Conclusion:
Serum monomeric α2-macroglobulin is highly expressed in many diabetic subjects. It is identical to the human 'cardiac isoform of α2-macroglobulin' described in the literature, a well-known acute phase serum biomarker protein mechanistically involved in cardiac and atherosclerotic diseases.
Related Concept Videos
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Hyperglycemia
Hypoglycemia
Diabetic Nephropathy
