Higher Serum Asprosin Level is Associated with Urinary Albumin Excretion and Renal Function in Type 2 Diabetes.

AIM

We detected whether serum asprosin levels play a role in the occurrence and development of albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which has not been previously discussed.

METHODS

Based on urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), 207 T2DM patients were divided into T2DM patients with normoalbuminuria (UACR<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (30≤UACR<300 mg/g), and macroalbuminuria (UACR≥300 mg/g). Serum asprosin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Comparatively, the serum asprosin levels in T2DM patient groups with macroalbuminuria [2.37 (1.63-3.57)] and microalbuminuria [2.10 (1.60-2.90)] were significantly increased than the normoalbuminuria group [1.59 (1.18-2.09)] (<0.001). Importantly, the serum level of asprosin was positively correlated with UACR (=0.304, <0.001), creatinine (=0.157, =0.024), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (=0.244, <0.001), and negatively with glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (=-0.159, =0.022). Furthermore, multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that asprosin was significantly and independently related to UACR, BUN, DBP, and LDL-C (<0.05). Besides, after adjustment for the confounders, the serum asprosin level was constantly and independently associated with the development of albuminuria in T2DM patients [OR (95% CI): 2.003 (1.37~2.928), <0.001].

CONCLUSION

Obviously, the serum asprosin level was independently correlated with UACR in T2DM patients, which implies circulating asprosin may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.