Circulating betatrophin concentrations are decreased in human obesity and type 2 diabetes
Javier Gómez-Ambrosi1, Eider Pascual, Victoria Catalán
1Metabolic Research Laboratory (J.G.-A., V.C., A.R., B.R., G.F.), Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition (E.P., C.S., J.S., G.F.) and Department of Biochemistry (M.J.G.), Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; and CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (J.G.-A., V.C., A.R., B.R., C.S., M.J.G., J.S., G.F.), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
Context:
Betatrophin is a secreted protein recently involved in β-cell replication with a potential role in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to compare the circulating concentrations of betatrophin in human obesity and T2D.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
Serum concentrations of betatrophin were measured by ELISA in 153 subjects: 75 obese normoglycemic subjects (OB-NG), 30 obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (OB-IGT), and 15 obese subjects with T2D (OB-T2D) matched by sex, age, and body adiposity, in comparison with 33 lean normoglycemic individuals (LN-NG).
Results:
Circulating levels of betatrophin were significantly decreased in obese individuals and further diminished in IGT and T2D participants (LN-NG, 45.1 ± 24.4 ng/mL; OB-NG, 26.9 ± 15.4 ng/mL; OB-IGT, 18.3 ± 10.7 ng/mL; OB-T2D, 13.5 ± 8.8 ng/mL; P < .001). A marked sexual dimorphism was found, with betatrophin levels being significantly higher in women than in men (males, 21.1 ± 16.0 ng/mL; females, 34.1 ± 20.1 ng/mL; P < .001). Interestingly, betatrophin levels were positively correlated with the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (r = 0.46; P < .001) and with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations (r = 0.51; P < .001).
Conclusions:
We conclude that serum betatrophin is decreased in human obesity, being further reduced in obesity-associated insulin resistance. Betatrophin levels are closely related to obesity-associated cardiometabolic risk factors, emerging as a potential biomarker of insulin resistance and T2D.
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