title: Low concentrations of adropin are associated with endothelial dysfunction as assessed by flow-mediated dilatation in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In individuals with atherosclerotic risk factors, endothelial dysfunction (ED) appears as an early phase in the development of clinical symptoms. Recent studies indicate that adropin, a newly identified peptide, participates in cardiovascular health through the regulation of several metabolic events including angiogenesis and blood flow. In this study, we aimed to determine the relation of adropin with biochemical and radiologic parameters which reflect ED such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), endothelin 1 (ET-1), nitric oxide (NO) and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) along with the routine biochemical measurements in patients recently diagnosed with metabolic syndrome (MetS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting blood samples from 110 patients with MetS diagnosed according to the NCEP ATP III-2005 criteria were collected to measure the concentrations of adropin and other parameters including the lipid profile, insulin and glucose. Serum NOx concentrations were determined by measuring NO2 plus NO3. FMD test was performed by ultrasonography, and patients were stratified as FMD (+) or (-). Data were compared between these two subgroups and also with matching healthy controls (n=50). Biochemical data were evaluated using Student's t or Mann-Whitney U tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine subjects had ED (+) and the remaining 101 subjects were ED (-). In the first group, adropin levels were significantly lower than the latter (2.13±1.05 vs. 3.41±1.63 ng/mL, respectively; p<0.001) and independently associated with FMD positivity as assessed by the logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low adropin level in circulation is related to ED and has a close association with FMD. Any alterations in its level may be of help in order to assess the development of ED before the occurrence of clinical symptoms in patients with metabolic syndrome.
authors.forename: Coskun U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Oruc
authors.forename: Yunus E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Akpinar
authors.forename: Elmire
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dervisoglu
authors.forename: Shirkhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amikishiyev
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmaslıoglu
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gurdol
authors.forename: Beyhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Omer
mesh_terms: D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004106:Dilatation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; C568440:Enho protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010455:Peptides