title: Elevated serum milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 levels in type 2 diabetic patients are suppressed by overweight or obese status.
abstract: Inflammation is the most important link between obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) is a key mediator in anti-inflammatory responses, its role in obesity and diabetes is not yet completely understood. We aimed to measure MFG-E8 serum levels and to explore the role of MFG-E8 in obesity and T2D. Fasting serum MFG-E8 levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for 168 individuals, whose oral glucose tolerance test was conducted, and levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein, were measured. The participants were subdivided into 66 newly diagnosed T2D individuals, 44 impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) subjects and 58 healthy controls. Their characteristics were further classified as lean or nonlean for investigation. MFG-E8 levels were significantly higher in T2D subjects than in healthy controls (P = 0.028). Decreased levels of MFG-E8 were found in overweight or obese individuals, compared to those in lean subjects, in both the T2D and IGT groups (P < 0.001). Interestingly, MFG-E8 levels showed a negative correlation with body mass index (BMI) and TNF-α levels in the total population and the T2D subgroup. Further, BMI and TNF-α concentrations were found to be independent predictors of MFG-E8 levels in all subjects. MFG-E8 levels are elevated in T2D but suppressed by increased adipose tissues, thereby allowing inflammatory factors to rise to high levels. MFG-E8 may serve as a potential biomarker for obesity and T2D in the clinical setting. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(2):63-71, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Wenzhuo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiaqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yihang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Deng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus, Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; C098942:MFGE8 protein, human; D008894:Milk Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: inflammation; milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8; obesity; tumor necrosis factor-α; type 2 diabetes