Adipocyte-secreted ANGPTL2 promotes hyperuricemia through inhibiting AKT/ABCG2 signaling

Overweight and obesity are closely associated with hyperuricemia (HUA). However, the effect of obesity-induced adipokine on the level of serum uric acid (UA) has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the role of adipokine in the pathogenesis of HUA.

Omental adipose tissues from HUA patients with obesity were collected for data-independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics analysis, and the secreted protein angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL2) was identified and further validated via Western blot and ELISA. Angptl2 knockout (ko) and adipocyte-specific ANGPTL2 overexpression mice were generated to establish HUA models. HK2 cells and primary renal tubule epithelial cells (RTECs) were applied to induce HUA cell model and treated with recombinant human ANGPTL2 or supernatants derived from C3H10 cells differentiated into adipocytes.

ANGPTL2 levels were significantly elevated in the omental adipose tissue from HUA with obesity patients compared to control participants. Circulating ANGPTL2 levels were also increased, and positively correlated with serum UA levels, especially in male participants. Plasma UA levels were significantly decreased in Angptl2 ko mice, coinciding with up-regulated expression of ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) and down-regulated glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) in renal tissue. However, plasma UA levels were significantly increased, accompanied by decreased ABCG2 expression and enhanced GLUT9 expression after adipocyte-specific ANGPTL2 overexpression. Furthermore, adipocyte-derived ANGPTL2 increased UA level in cell supernatants through the inhibition of protein kinase B (AKT)/ABCG2 signaling in RTECs and HK2 cells.

Adipokine ANGPTL2 levels were significantly elevated in HUA patients with obesity. Circulating ANGPTL2 concentrations were independently associated with serum UA levels, particularly in obese males. Adipocyte-secreted ANGPTL2 promoted the level of UA through AKT/ABCG2 signaling in renal tubular cells. These findings establish ANGPTL2 as a critical adipokine linking obesity to hyperuricemia and suggest its potential as a novel therapeutic target for HUA.