title: Increased circulating betatrophin concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Betatrophin has recently been described as a key hormone to stimulate beta-cell mass expansion in response to insulin resistance and obesity in mice. The finding has generated an interest in the development of antidiabetic drugs with betatrophin as the active component. However, the circulating levels of betatrophin in patients with type 2 diabetes are not well known. Betatrophin concentrations in plasma of 27 type 2 diabetes patients and 18 gender-, age-, and BMI-matched controls were measured. Study participants were characterized with regard to BMI, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, and fasting plasma blood lipids, creatinine, glucose, HbA1c, and C-peptide. HOMA2 indices were calculated. Betatrophin was 40% higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (893 ± 80 versus 639 ± 66 pg/mL). Betatrophin positively correlated with age in the controls and with HbA1c in the type 2 diabetes patients. All study participants were insulin resistant with mean HOMA2B IR in both groups exceeding 2 and HOMA2%S < 50%. Control individuals had impaired fasting glucose concentrations. In this report on betatrophin concentrations in type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, elevated betatrophin levels were measured in the patients with type 2 diabetes. Future studies are clearly needed to delineate the exact role, if any, of betatrophin in regulating human beta-cell mass.
authors: Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, P.O. Box 571, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden ; Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Daniel
authors: 0000-0001-8843-7941
authors: D
authors: Espes
authors: Department of Public Health Care, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, P.O. Box 564, 75122 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Mats
authors: 0000-0002-6060-6229
authors: M
authors: Martinell
authors: Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, P.O. Box 571, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden ; Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, 75185 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Per-Ola
authors: 0000-0002-7666-073X
authors: PO
authors: Carlsson