Circulating vaspin is unrelated to insulin sensitivity in a cohort of nondiabetic humans.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association of vaspin with glucose metabolism.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and intervention study.


METHODS
The association of serum vaspin with metabolic and anthropometric characteristics was investigated in 108 volunteers. Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps (EHC) were performed in 83 of the participants. Changes of circulating vaspin levels were additionally studied in a crossover study using 300 min EHC with lipid versus saline infusion (n=10).


RESULTS
Neither glucose tolerance status nor insulin sensitivity, both as measured using EHCs and using homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), was significantly associated with serum vaspin in the cross-sectional study. Furthermore, there was no effect of short-term lipid-induced insulin resistance due to a 300 min intravenous lipid challenge on circulating vaspin. However, circulating vaspin levels were significantly elevated in women using oral contraceptives (OC), both compared to women without OC intake (1.17+/-0.26 vs 0.52+/-0.09 ng/ml, P=0.02) and males (1.17+/-0.26 vs 0.29+/-0.04 ng/ml, P=0.01). After exclusion of OC using females and stratification according to body mass index (BMI), a significant sexual dimorphism in subjects with a BMI <25 kg/m(2) was observed (males 0.21+/-0.04 ng/ml versus females 0.70+/-0.16 ng/ml, P=0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results support the existence of a sexual dimorphism regarding circulating vaspin. The lack of an association of serum vaspin with HOMA-IR and M value indicates, however, no major role for vaspin concerning insulin sensitivity in nondiabetic humans.
von Loeffelholz
Christian
C
Department of Clinical Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany.
Möhlig
Matthias
M
Arafat
Ayman M
AM
Isken
Frank
F
Spranger
Joachim
J
Mai
Knut
K
Randeva
Harpal S
HS
Pfeiffer
Andreas F H
AF
Weickert
Martin O
MO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015843:Serpins / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; C507339:SERPINA12 protein, human; D015843:Serpins