Plasma Asprosin Concentrations Are Increased in Individuals with Glucose Dysregulation and Correlated with Insulin Resistance and First-Phase Insulin Secretion

The Associations between Asprosine, Clusterin, Zinc Alpha-2-Glycoprotein, Nuclear Factor Kappa B, and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma in the Development of Complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the circulating levels of asprosin, clusterin, zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) in patients with T2DM in relation to microvascular and macrovascular complications. Measuring these biomarkers may provide insight into the pathophysiology of T2DM and indicate novel targets for the therapy of diabetes-related complications. Methods: A total of 260 subjects consisting of four groups: healthy controls (Group-1), T2DM patients without complications (Group-2), T2DM patients with microvascular complications (Group-3), and T2DM patients with macrovascular complications (Group-4). Results: The mean age of all subjects was 52.96 ± 6.4, 127 of whom were male. Asprosin, clusterin, and NF-κB levels were significantly higher, while ZAG and PPAR-γ levels were significantly lower in diabetic patients than healthy subjects (p < 0.01, for all). Asprosin (p < 0.01), clusterin (p < 0.01), and NF-κB (p: 0.002) levels were significantly higher and PPAR-γ (p < 0.01) level was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in Group-3 than Group-2. Asprosin (p < 0.01) and NF-κB (p: 0.011) levels were significantly higher while ZAG (p < 0.01) level was significantly lower in Group-4 than Group-2. Serum ZAG level was found lower in Group-4 than in Group-3 (p = 0.037). Further, the biomarkers presented significant correlation with biomarkers like HbA1c and HOMA-IR. It was observed that increasing serum asprosin, clusterin, and NF-κB levels and decreasing serum PPAR-γ levels were effective in the development of microvascular complications while the increased asprosin levels and decreased ZAG levels had a significant effect on the development of macrovascular complications in the binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: This study confirms that altered levels of asprosin, clusterin, ZAG, NF-κB, and PPAR-γ are associated with T2DM and its complications. These biomarkers reflect the pathophysiological processes of metabolic disturbance and inflammation in T2DM and, therefore, have the potential for use in targeted interventions to prevent and manage diabetes-related complications.

Relation of the intense physical exercise and asprosin concentrations in type 2 diabetic rats

AIM

Asprosin, a protein hormone, is released by unilocular adipocytes in reaction to low blood sugar. We aimed to examine how exercise affects asprosin hormone levels and associated organs, including the liver and pancreas, in diabetes.

METHODS

Twenty-one male Wistar albino rats were firstly allocated into two main groups: control (n = 7) and diabetes (n = 14). Then, the diabetes group was further separated into two subgroups: sedentary (n = 7) and exercise (n = 7). The exercise group participated in a swimming training regimen (30 min/daily, six weeks). Serum levels of asprosin and various other biochemical parameters were evaluated through commercial ELISA kits. The liver was analyzed histopathologically, and pancreatic islet cells were examined for Cas-3 immune expression.

RESULTS

Asprosin and total oxidant status decreased significantly in the exercise diabetic subgroup (p < 0.05). Glucose, insulin, creatinine, IL-6, and HomaIR concentrations decreased slightly with exercise (p > 0.05). Liver tissue injury scores and Cas-3 immune expression in pancreas islet cells decreased in exercise diabetic rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing asprosin may lower glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Physical activity decreases asprosin and total oxidative status, fostering anti-apoptosis and tissue healing in diabetes, potentially enhancing health. Monitoring asprosin levels offers insights into diabetes progression. Our findings imply that asprosin can be a therapeutic target for diabetes.

Development of a mix-and-read assay for human asprosin using antibody-oligonucleotide probes and thermofluorimetric analysis

Adipose tissue, or fat tissue, can now be classified as an endocrine organ as it responds to stimuli by secreting a range of hormones, termed adipokines, which regulate the functions of various other tissues and organs. Because novel adipokines continue to be discovered and characterized by researchers, there is an enduring need for the development of new analytical assays that target these hormones. Discovered recently, asprosin is an adipokine hormone secreted by white adipose tissue (WAT) during fasting which has been implicated for its important effects on the liver, skeletal muscle, hypothalamus, pancreas, and possibly other tissues. While standard immunoassays have been developed, the continued surge in research on asprosin's function would greatly benefit from an assay with homogeneous, mix-and-read workflow, and the nanomolar clinical range makes this goal more feasible. In this work, we developed such an assay for asprosin using our thermofluorimetric analysis (TFA) methods with antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate probes. The assay, achievable in less than one hour, was successfully validated by quantifying native levels of asprosin in human serum collected from fasting, nonfasting, type II diabetic, and obese donors.

Oxidative Stress and Asprosin Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Good and Poor Glycemic Control

Objectives: HbA1c is the most widely used test as an indicator of glucoregulation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Asprosin and oxidative stress levels can be reduced with good glycemic control (GC) and thus prevented or delayed micro/macro complications in patients with T2DM. The relationship between asprosin, which is thought to affect GC, and oxidative stress parameters such as lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was evaluated in T2DM patients. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted prospectively in 75 healthy people admitted to the hospital for a general health check-up and 150 T2DM patients treated in the diabetes outpatient clinic. The patient's glycemic status measurements were categorized as good glycemic control group (GGC) is defined as HbA1c < 7 and poor glycemic control (PGC) group is defined as HbA1c ≥ 7. Results: The study found a consistent increase in LOOH and MDA levels across the control, GGC, and PGC groups, while GSH, Cu/Zn-SOD, and TAC levels decreased in these respective groups. Additionally, asprosin levels showed a gradual rise in all groups. Positive correlations were observed between asprosin levels and various metabolic and oxidative stress markers, including BMI, WC, FBG, insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), DM duration, LOOH, and MDA, while negative correlations were noted with GSH, Cu/Zn-SOD, and TAC specifically in the PGC group. Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis identified HOMA-IR as the primary influencing factor on asprosin levels in PGC patients. Conclusions: Current glycemic dysregulation may lead to increased circulating asprosin and oxidative stress, which cause complications. Since asprosin levels may be an important hormonal factor in determining GC in T2DM, the use of this hormone may be recommended in the future to accelerate therapeutic approaches in T2DM. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment may delay the development and progression of diabetic complications.

Asprosin: its function as a novel endocrine factor in metabolic-related diseases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Asprosin was discovered as a new endocrine hormone originating from fibrillin-1 cleavage that plays a crucial role in various metabolic-related diseases, such as obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the recent advancements of asprosin.

METHOD

Narrative review.

RESULT

This comprehensive review explores its tissue-specific functions, focusing on white adipose tissue, liver, hypothalamus, testis, ovary, heart, pancreas, skeletal muscle, and kidney.

CONCLUSION

Asprosin is a multifaceted protein with tissue-specific roles in various physiological and pathological processes. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and potential of asprosin as a therapeutic target. These insights could provide new directions for treatments targeting metabolic-related diseases.

The relationship between 25-hydroxy vitamin D and serum asprosin in patients with type 2 diabetes in the community

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the link between 25-hydroxy vitamin D and serum asprosin in individuals with type 2 diabetes within the community. The goal was to provide a foundation for clinical interventions.

Methods

Between November 2019 and July 2021, data from 463 patients with type 2 diabetes were consistently gathered at a community health service station in Southeast Shanxi Province. General information and laboratory metrics were compiled, including serum asprosin levels. The participants were categorized based on three serum asprosin quantiles, allowing for a comparison of various factors among the groups. The correlation between serum asprosin levels and other factors was analyzed. Employing a general linear model, the connection between 25-hydroxy vitamin D and serum asprosin levels was studied. Utilizing three quantiles of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, serum asprosin was treated as the dependent variable, while 25-hydroxy vitamin D served as the independent variable for linear regression analysis.

Results

As serum asprosin increased, there were gradual increments in age, disease duration, SBP, BMI, WC, creatinine, and SUA levels (P<0.05). Conversely, HbA1c, HDL-C, GFR, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels exhibited gradual declines (P<0.05). Age, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, SUA, creatinine, and LDL-C emerged as independent influencing factors for serum asprosin. Across the 1st to 3rd 25-hydroxy vitamin D quantiles, elevated 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels correlated with a gradual reduction in mean serum asprosin (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Serum asprosin levels demonstrate an inverse correlation with 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in community-dwelling individuals with type 2 diabetes. Serum asprosin levels might independently contribute to 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels.

Asprosin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Asprosin is a promising candidate for novel treatments for metabolic-endocrine disorders. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate the existing evidence regarding asprosin levels in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and obesity.

METHODS

Scopus, Embase, PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Web of Science were systematically searched without restrictions. We only used the standardized mean differences (SMD) with their 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) as the effect measure. A random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird method) was used for the meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies (n = 3,787) were included in the meta-analysis. Participants with T2D had higher asprosin values than those without T2D (SMD: 1.64; 95 % CI: 1.08-2.21; I2 = 97 %). Patients with MetS had higher asprosin levels compared to those without MetS (SMD: 0.99; 95 % CI: 0.34-1.64; I2 = 96 %). Patients with obesity had higher asprosin levels than participants without obesity (SMD: 1.49; 95 % CI: 0.23-2.76; I2 = 98 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Asprosin is significantly higher in patients with either T2D, MetS, or obesity, compared with controls.

Circulating asprosin concentrations in individuals with new-onset type 2 diabetes and prediabetes

AIMS

This research aimed to clarify the relationship between serum asprosin levels and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in light of mixed findings about the role of asprosin in T2DM and the lack of studies on its effects on prediabetic conditions.

METHODS

In this observational analysis the cohort included 252 adults aged22-69 recruitedfromJinan Central Hospital were categorized into three groups, normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and T2DM groups. Serum asprosin levels were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, all participants underwent assessments of various anthropometric and biochemical markers.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed a notable increase in serum asprosin levels among individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM, with IGR subjects also demonstrating slightly elevated asprosin levels compared to the healthy group. Further stratification by quartiles of asprosin levels revealed a progressive increase in the proportions of IGR + T2DM patients, highlighting a potential association between elevated asprosin and increased T2DM risk. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for the efficacy of asprosin in identifying IGR + T2DM yielded an area under curve (AUC) of 0.853 (95 % CI: 0.808-0.899), pointing a threshold value of 4.95 ng/ml for asprosin.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation revealed that individuals with prediabetes and those newly diagnosed with T2DM exhibit increased serum asprosin levels, suggesting that elevated asprosin concentrations are linked to early disturbances in glucose homeostasis.

Effects of atypical antipsychotics on serum asprosin level and other metabolic parameters in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

In this cross-sectional study, we compared fasting serum asprosin levels and metabolic parameters between patients receiving one of three atypical antipsychotics (olanzapine, risperidone, or aripiprazole) and healthy subjects.

METHODS

The study population included 62 adult outpatients with schizophrenia and 22 healthy controls, matched for age and gender. Patients were in remission and had been on stable monotherapy with one of these atypical antipsychotics for over 6 months. Body Mass Index (BMI) and fasting serum levels of asprosin, glucose, HA1c, insulin, and lipid profile were compared across the investigated groups. Additionally, the number of participants meeting the insulin resistance criterion, defined as homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) >2.5, as well as the number of participants with elevated BMI levels (men >27 kg/m2, women >25 kg/m2) were compared among the groups.

RESULTS

We observed statistically significant differences in BMI and fasting serum levels of glucose, HA1c, insulin, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and asprosin among patients receiving olanzapine or risperidone, as compared to those receiving aripiprazole and healthy subjects. Patients on aripiprazole exhibited values comparable to healthy subjects, whereas those on risperidone or olanzapine showed significantly higher values, with the highest observed in the olanzapine group. Additionally, the prevalence of participants meeting the insulin resistance criterion and those with elevated BMI was also greater in individuals receiving olanzapine or risperidone compared to those on aripiprazole and healthy subjects. Serum asprosin levels showed a significant positive correlation with BMI and several metabolic parameters, including HbA1c, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and TG. No significant differences were observed among the investigated groups in terms of serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

CONCLUSIONS

Our cross-sectional study highlights the association between elevated asprosin levels, weight gain, and metabolic disorders in patients treated with olanzapine and risperidone. Given the bidirectional nature of the relationship between serum asprosin levels and these metabolic disturbances, further research is warranted to elucidate potential causative pathways.

Plasma Asprosin Concentrations are Associated with Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Purpose

To explore the expression of asprosin in subjects with pre-DKD and DKD and to analyze its relationship with kidney injury, inflammation, and glucose and lipid metabolism.

Methods

Based on urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UACr), participants were divided into DM, pre-DKD, and DKD groups. Relevant human physiological and biochemical parameters were detected in the three groups.

Results

We found relatively higher levels of asprosin in both pre-DKD and DKD groups than the DM group. Moreover, data from the Nephroseq database support increased gene expression of asprosin in kidney tissue from DKD patients. Further correlation analysis revealed that the plasma asprosin level was positively correlated with age, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, UACr, triglycerides, HDL-c, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and the inflammatory marker G3P and negatively associated with eGFR. Multiple logistical regression analysis showed that asprosin concentration was significantly associated with pre-DKD and DKD after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, WHR, and HOMA-IR, while this correlation was lost after controlling for G3P.

Conclusion

Plasma asprosin is associated with kidney injury in diabetic conditions, and this association might be connected through inflammatory response. Further studies are needed to assess the role and mechanism of asprosin in DKD.

Asprosin aggravates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease via inflammation and lipid metabolic disturbance mediated by reactive oxygen species

Asprosin (ASP) is a newly-identified adipokine and plays important roles in energy metabolism homeostasis. However, there is no report on whether and how ASP is involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Therefore, in the study, we investigated the protective effects of ASP-deficiency on the liver in the NAFLD model mice and the detrimental effects of ASP treatment on the human normal hepatocytes (LO2 cell line). More important, we explored the underlying mechanism from the perspective of lipid metabolism and inflammation. In the in vivo experiments, our data showed that the ASP-deficiency significantly alleviated the high-fat diet-induced inflammation and NAFLD, inhibited the hepatic fat deposition and downregulated the expressions of fat acid synthase (FASN), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1); moreover, the ASP-deficiency attenuated the inflammatory state and inhibited the activation of the IKK/NF-κBp65 inflammation pathway. In the in vitro experiments, our results revealed that ASP treatment caused and even exacerbated the injury of LO2 cells induced by FFA; In contrast, the ASP treatment upregulated the expressions of PPARγ, FOXO1, FASN, ACC and acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) and elevated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Accordingly, these results demonstrate that ASP causes NAFLD through disrupting lipid metabolism and promoting the inflammation mediated by ROS.

A study of the relationship between serum asprosin levels and MAFLD in a population undergoing physical examination

Asprosin, an adipokine, was recently discovered in 2016. Here, the correlation between asprosin and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) was examined by quantitatively assessing hepatic steatosis using transient elastography and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). According to body mass index (BMI), 1276 adult participants were enrolled and categorized into three groups: normal, overweight, and obese. The study collected and evaluated serum asprosin levels, general biochemical indices, liver stiffness measure, and CAP via statistical analysis. In both overweight and obese groups, serum asprosin and CAP were greater than in the normal group (p < 0.01). Each group showed a positive correlation of CAP with asprosin (p < 0.01). The normal group demonstrated a significant and independent positive relationship of CAP with BMI, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), asprosin, waist circumference (WC), and triglycerides (TG; p < 0.05). CAP showed an independent positive association (p < 0.05) with BMI, WC, asprosin, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and TG in the overweight group, and with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) showed an independent negative link (p < 0.01). CAP showed an independent positive relationship (p < 0.05) with BMI, WC, asprosin, TG, LDL-C, FBG, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and alanine transferase in the obese group. CAP also showed an independent positive link (p < 0.01) with BMI, WC, asprosin, TG, LDL-C, and FBG in all participants while independently and negatively correlated (p < 0.01) with HDL-C. Since asprosin and MAFLD are closely related and asprosin is an independent CAP effector, it may offer a novel treatment option for metabolic diseases and MAFLD.

Asprosin aggravates atherosclerosis via regulating the phenotype transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells

Phenotype transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Asprosin is a newly discovered adipokine, which is critical in regulating metabolism. However, the relationship between asprosin and phenotype transformation of VSMCs in atherosclerosis remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether asprosin affects the progression of atherosclerosis by inducing phenotype transformation of VSMCs. We established an atherosclerosis model in ApoE-/- mice and administered asprosin recombinant protein and asprosin antibody to mice. Knocking down asprosin was also as an intervention. Interestingly, we found a correlation between asprosin levels and atherosclerosis. Asprosin promoted plaque formation and phenotype transformation of VSMCs. While, AspKD or asprosin antibody reduced the plaque lesion and suppressed vascular stiffness in ApoE-/- mice. Mechanistically, asprosin induced phenotype transformation of MOVAs by binding to GPR54, leading to Gαq/11 recruitment and activation of the PLC-PKC-ERK1/2-STAT3 signaling pathway. Si GPR54 or GPR54 antagonist partially inhibited the action of asprosin in MOVAs. Mutant GPR54-(267, 307) residue cancelled the binding of asprosin and GPR54. In summary, this study confirmed asprosin activated GPR54/Gαq/11-dependent ERK1/2-STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby promoting VSMCs phenotype transformation and aggravating atherosclerosis, thus providing a new target for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Circulating levels of asprosin in children with obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Prior studies reported that elevated asprosin level was associated with obesity in adults and animal models. However, the relationship between asprosin level and children with obeisty remains controversial. The aim of our analysis was to systematically review available literatures linking asprosin and children with obesity for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between circulating asprosin level and obesity in children.

METHODS

Eight databases were gleaned for studies published up to January 2024. Standard mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI) and Fisher's Z transformation was calculated to evaluate the relationship between asprosin level and children with obesity using the Review Manager 5.4 Software. Other indicators were measured via mean difference with 95% CI.

RESULTS

Six observational studies were included both in systematic review and meta-analysis. The current evidence indicated that no significant difference was observed in the level of circulating asprosin between the children with and without obesity (SMD = 0.37; 95% CI:-0.22-0.95, p = 0.22). However, Fisher's Z transformation suggested the positive association of circulating asprosin levels and clinical index measuring the degree of obesity: total cholesterol (Fisher's Z: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02-0.20, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Circulating asprosin level was not independently related to childhood obesity currently. More rigorous longitudinal researches were required to disentangle the causations. However, the positive association of asprosin levels and total cholesterol indicated that asprosin might get involved in the lipid-metabolism of childhood obesity, asprosin might be a prospective bio-index and targeted treatment of total cholesterol metabolism besides the role of glucogenic and orexigenic.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospero ID: CRD42023426476.

Association of serum asprosin with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in older adult type 2 diabetic patients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

To explore the association of serum asprosin levels with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

The cross-sectional study enrolled patients ≥ 65 years old diagnosed with T2DM at two community health service centers between November 2019 and July 2021. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of MAFLD.

RESULTS

Totally 219 cases were included. Compared with diabetic individuals without MAFLD (n = 105), diabetics with MAFLD (n = 114) had younger ages, higher body mass index values, shorter time from T2DM diagnosis, increased waist-to-hip ratios, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT), elevated γ-glutaryl transferase, elevated fasting insulin, and elevated HOMA-IR (all P < 0.05). Serum asprosin levels were elevated in diabetics with MAFLD in comparison with the non-MAFLD group (291.71 ± 73.69 vs. 255.24 ± 82.52 pg/ml, P = 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed, after adjusted for age, time from T2DM diagnosis, HDL-C, and ALT, serum asprosin level (OR = 1.006, 95%CI: 1.001-1.010, P = 0.014) were independently associated with MAFLD in T2DM.

CONCLUSIONS

High asprosin level are associated with MAFLD in older patients with T2DM, after adjusted for age, time from T2DM diagnosis, WHR, TG, HDL-C, ALT, GGT, FINS, and HOMA-IR.

Effect of Boric Acid on Metabolic Peptides and Some Biochemical Parameters in Experimental Diabetic Rats

Boron (B) is an element that has recently been wondered and researched in many fields, especially due to its effects on energy metabolism. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of boric acid (BA) on newly discovered energy metabolism peptides that have not been studied before. In this study, the effects of 15 mg/kg of BA were evaluated in 24 Wistar rats. Groups were named as control group, 15 mg/kg BA group, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced experimental diabetic group, and STZ-induced experimental diabetic + 15 mg/kg BA administered group (STZ+15 mg/kg BA). Serum asprosin, nesfatin-1, preptin, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and glucose analyses were performed. In this study, the increase in glucose, TG, TC, LDL-C levels, and AST, ALT activities in STZ-induced groups were reduced with BA administration. While HDL-C level significantly decreased in the STZ group, the level approached the control group values after BA administration (p<0.001). As for peptides, although there was a statistically significant increase after 15 mg/kg BA administration, these levels did not approach the control group values (p<0.001). According to the findings, STZ-induced diabetes mellitus and the biochemical processes that develop accordingly change correlatively. This study showed that BA is effective in energy metabolism.

Elevated Asprosin Levels in Breast Cancer: Insights from a Comparative Study

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women. Diagnosis in the early stage is very important for cancer treatment. There is no good biomarker to diagnose BC in T1-T2 or N0 stage. This study aimed to evaluate asprosin (ASP) levels of BC compared with non-cancer. Materials and Methods: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to evaluate serum ASP levels in 40 patients with BC and 40 healthy women. The cancer group included T1-T4, N1-N3, and M0-M1 patients. T stages were divided into groups as T1-T2 and T3-T4. N stages were divided into groups as N (0) and N (+). Results: ASP showed good discrimination (area under the curve = 0.767, 95% confidence interval: 0.657-0.878) between the BC group and the healthy group and acceptable discriminating ability (sensitivity = 0.825; specificity = 0.750) at the optimal cutoff value of 1.82 ng/mL. ASP indicated no difference for T, N, and M stages (p = 0.919, p = 0.859, and p = 0.225, respectively). There was a significant difference between grades within cancer patients in terms of ASP (p = 0.025). Conclusions: These findings provide evidence of a potential association between elevated ASP levels and the presence of BC. The observed higher levels of ASP in women with BC compared with healthy individuals suggest that ASP could potentially serve as a biomarker for distinguishing between the two groups. These results may contribute to our understanding of the potential role of ASP in BC detection and highlight its potential as a diagnostic marker. Further studies are required to establish whether ASP can be used to diagnose BC.

Exercise-induced effects on asprosin and indices of atherogenicity and insulin resistance in males with metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) development is associated with insulin resistance and obesity, with the progression of visceral adipose tissue playing a crucial role. Excessive adipose tissue is accompanied by an increase in the asprosin (ASP), which is responsible for carbohydrate metabolism and the regulation of hunger and satiety. Exercise affects the release of ASP, which may regulate metabolism accordingly. Due to the inconclusive results of the effect of exercise on ASP concentration in men with MetS, 12-week interventions were carried out in the following groups: EG1-aerobic training (n = 21, age: 34.21 ± 6.06, WC; waist circumference: 114.7 ± 10.93) and EG2-a combination of aerobic and resistance training (n = 21, age: 37.37 ± 7.08, WC: 114.8 ± 11.64) and compared with a control group (CG) of men with MetS without any intervention (n = 20, age: 38.26 ± 7.43, WC: 115.3 ± 10.54). Body composition, indicators of carbohydrate-lipid metabolism, and ASP were assessed four times: before the intervention, at 6 and 12 weeks of training, and 4 weeks after the training sessions. A comparison of the intervention influence on changes in the analyzed variables between the groups was performed using ANOVA test for dependent groups with post-hoc comparison. The effect size (ES) was also assessed using squared eta (η2). The implementation of aerobic training resulted in a decrease in ASP concentration (p = 0.03) within 6 weeks of the intervention, while in the CG a gradual increase in ASP was confirmed (p < 0.001). Aerobic-resistance training did not induce significant changes in ASP concentration but resulted in an increase in fat-free mass/fat mass (FFM/FM) ratio (p < 0.001), and a decrease (p = 0.04) in Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Changes in the visceral adipose tissue level indicate a gradual decrease in both the EG1 (p = 0.01) and EG2 (p = 0.04) groups. Both aerobic and aerobic-resistance exercises may have a regulatory effect, mainly by reducing visceral adipose tissue, on the improvement of metabolic disorders.

Asprosin levels in women with and without the polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at summarizing the evidence concerning circulating asprosin, and related endocrine and metabolites in women with and without the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Method: We performed a comprehensive literature search in Pubmed, Web of Science, Scielo, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure for studies published until May 20, 2022, that evaluated circulating asprosin levels in women with and without PCOS, regardless of language. The quality of studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random-effects models were used to estimate mean differences (MD) or standardized MD (SMD) and their 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: We evaluated eight studies reporting 1,050 PCOS cases and 796 controls of reproductive age. Participants with PCOS were younger (MD = -2.40 years, 95% CI -2.46 to -2.33), with higher values of asprosin (SMD = 2.57, 95% CI 1.64-3.50), insulin (SMD = 2.73, 95% CI 1.18-4.28), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (SMD = 2.70, 95% CI 0.85-4.55), luteinizing hormone (SMD = 2.33, 95% CI 0.60-4.06), total testosterone (SMD = 4.06, 95% CI 1.89-6.22), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (SMD = 2.38, 95% CI 0.37-4.40), and triglycerides (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI 0.13 to 2.27). Moreover, PCOS women had lower circulating levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SMD = -3.36, 95% CI -4.92 to -1.80), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (SMD = -0.85, 95% CI -1.69 to -0.01); with no significant differences observed for glucose, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels.Conclusion: Circulating asprosin levels were significantly higher in women with PCOS as compared to those without the syndrome.

Increased RBP4 and Asprosin Are Novel Contributors in Inflammation Process of Periodontitis in Obese Rats

There is a significant comorbidity between obesity and periodontitis, while adipokines are pivotal in the immunoinflammatory process, which may play a role in this special relationship. We aimed to assess the effect of adipokines as mediators in the progression of periodontitis in obese Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were divided into four groups: normal body weight with and without periodontitis and obesity with and without periodontitis. Experimental obesity and periodontitis were induced by a high-fat diet or ligaturing, and the effect was measured using metabolic and micro-computed tomography analysis and histological staining. Compared with the other three groups, the group of periodontitis with obesity (OP) had the heaviest alveolar bone absorption, the largest increase in osteoclasts, the utmost inflammatory cell infiltration and the highest expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL); meanwhile, its expression of the osteogenesis-related gene was the lowest among the four groups. The expressions of leptin, visfatin, resistin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and asprosin were upregulated, while adiponectin was decreased significantly in OP. The strong positive associations between the periodontal or circulating levels of RBP4 (or asprosin) and the degree of alveolar resorption in experimental periodontitis and obese rats were revealed. The upregulated expression of inflammation biomarkers, the corresponding degradation in connective tissue and the generation of osteoclasts in periodontitis were activated and exacerbated in obesity. The elevated level of RBP4/asprosin may contribute to a more severe periodontal inflammatory state in obese rats.

Asprosin, a novel glucogenic adipokine implicated in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Asprosin, encoded by penultimate two exons (exon 65 and exon 66) of the gene Fibrillin 1 (FBN1), has been recently discovered to be a novel hormone secreted by white adipose tissues during fasting. The glucose metabolism disorders are often accompanied by increased asprosin level. Previous research suggests that asprosin may contribute to the development of diabetes by regulating glucose homeostasis, appetite, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity. In this review, we summarize the recent findings from studies on asprosin and its association with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and discusses its mechanisms from various aspects, so as to provide clinical diagnosis and treatment ideas for T2DM.

Whole-Body Cryotherapy Improves Asprosin Secretion and Insulin Sensitivity in Postmenopausal Women-Perspectives in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a global problem. The effect of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) on metabolism in humans is postulated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of WBC on asprosin concentrations, glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in postmenopausal women with T2DM. Changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, asprosin, insulin-resistance indices (HOMA-IR, Quicki), the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined. Determination was carried out after 30 WBCs (3 min, -120 °C), applied in six series of five treatments, with 2-day breaks in postmenopausal women with T2DM and the results were compared to changes in postmenopausal women without T2DM (CON). Blood was collected before 1 WBC (T0), after 30 WBCs (T1) and 2 weeks after their completion (T2). In the T2DM group, there was a significant decrease in FBG and HbA1c in T1 and T2, as well as a significant decrease in insulin, HOMA-IR and CRP, and an increase in the Quicki index in T2. In the CON group, the concentration of asprosin at T2 was significantly lower than at T0. There was a significantly positive correlation between asprosin and FBG and HOMA-IR, and a trend towards a decrease of asprosin concentration in T2 in postmenopausal women with T2DM.

The Role of Meteorin-Like Peptide and Asprosin in Colon Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

 Colon cancer is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal system cancers on a global scale. Common colonoscopy tests have reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although nutrition, microorganisms, and their metabolites are related to colon cancer, the exact mechanism of CRC is still not clear. For this reason, it is of great importance to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of colon oncogenesis.

METHODS

This study was conducted retrospectively with samples obtained from the laboratory of Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology. A total of 30 patient samples were used. The control group consisted of healthy colon tissues from the same patients, and the other group consisted of colon carcinoma tissues from the same patients. Tissue samples of both groups were evaluated immunohistochemically with meteorin-like (METRNL) peptide and Asprosin.

RESULTS

The immunoreactivity of METRNL was found to be lower in colon carcinoma tissues than in healthy colon tissues (0.2 ± 0.06 and 0.08 ± 0.03, respectively). Asprosin immunoreactivity was found to be higher in colon carcinoma tissues than in healthy colon tissues (0.4 ± 0.07 and 1.08 ± 0.15, respectively).

CONCLUSION

As a result of this study, it was observed that there was a significant difference between healthy colon tissue and colon carcinoma tissue in terms of METRNL and Asprosin expression. Both proteins might be involved in the molecular mechanism of colon carcinoma. This situation is important in terms of diagnosis.

Association Between Plasma Asprosin Levels and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose

This study sought to investigate whether asprosin can be used in the diagnosis of GDM or for diagnostic purposes in high-risk pregnancies, along with a review of other parameters that may be associated with serum asprosin levels.

Patients and Methods

The study investigated the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and asprosin levels. A total of 93 participants; 30 patients with GDM, 33 healthy pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), and 30 healthy non-diabetic women (control group) at the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases outpatient clinic of a tertiary care university hospital were enrolled in the study. Patients with GDM and NGT were examined in terms of GDM between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy (2nd trimester). Patient data were collected during routine examinations, and asprosin levels were measured using the ELISA method. All participants underwent testing for measurements of serum hemoglobin, insulin, C-peptide, fasting plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels following a fasting period of at least eight hours.

Results

Asprosin levels were higher in pregnant women with NGT and with GDM versus controls (Control-NGT asprosin, p = 0.001; Control-GDM asprosin, p = 0.001). Pregnant women with GDM had higher asprosin levels than those with NGT (p = 0.001). In detecting GDM in pregnant women, an asprosin cutoff value of >31.709 ng/mL yielded a sensitivity of 93.3%, specificity of 90.9%, positive predictive value of 90.3%, and negative predictive value of 93.75% (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Serum asprosin levels can potentially be used as a marker in the diagnosis of GDM.

Can the new adipokine asprosin be a metabolic troublemaker for cardiovascular diseases? A state-of-the-art review

Adipokines play a significant role in cardiometabolic diseases. Asprosin, a newly discovered adipokine, was first identified as a glucose-raising protein hormone. Asprosin also stimulates appetite and regulates glucose and lipid metabolism. Its identified receptors so far include Olfr734 and Ptprd. Clinical studies have found that asprosin may be associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Asprosin may have diagnostic and therapeutic potential in obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Herein, the structure, receptors, and functions of asprosin and its relationship with cardiometabolic diseases are summarized based on recent findings.

Serum Asprosin Correlates with Indirect Insulin Resistance Indices

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Insulin resistance is a major contributor to the development of type 2 diabetes and can be assessed using indirect indicators calculated from non-invasive tests. Asprosin is a recently discovered adipokine with a postulated effect on glycemic regulation. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum asprosin levels and insulin resistance indices. The correlation between circulating asprosin and obesity indices was also investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 50 non-diabetic patients with obesity and 50 healthy volunteers were studied. Laboratory data, including circulating asprosin and anthropometric data, were collected. The following insulin resistance indices were calculated: triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), TyG-neck circumference (TyG-NC), TyG-neck circumference to height ratio (TyG-NHtR), TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC), TyG-waist to height ratio (TyG-WHtR), TyG-body mass index (TyG-BMI), and the ratio between triglycerides and high-density cholesterol (TG/HDLc). The obtained data were analyzed separately for males and females.

RESULTS

Asprosin concentrations were significantly higher in obese patients (p < 0.001). Asprosin concentrations positively correlated with body mass index (p < 0.001, r = 0.8 in females and r = 0.8 in males), waist circumference (p < 0.001, r = 0.73 in females and r = 0.81 in males), and all tested indices of insulin resistance. The strongest correlation was observed for TyG-BMI (p < 0.001, r = 0.78 in females and r = 0.81 in males). Circulating asprosin was higher in females (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Asprosin can be considered a marker of obesity and insulin resistance.

The Role of Adipokines in Health and Disease

Adipokines are cell-signaling proteins secreted by adipose tissue that has been related to a low-grade state of inflammation and different pathologies. The present review aims to analyze the role of adipokines in health and disease in order to understand the important functions and effects of these cytokines. For this aim, the present review delves into the type of adipocytes and the cytokines produced, as well as their functions; the relations of adipokines in inflammation and different diseases such as cardiovascular, atherosclerosis, mental diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and eating behaviors; and finally, the role of microbiota, nutrition, and physical activity in adipokines is discussed. This information would allow for a better understanding of these important cytokines and their effects on body organisms.

Serum asprosin levels are increased and associated with insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A retrospective case-control study

Dysregulation of adipokines may play a role in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This was a retrospective case-control study to investigate the relationship between asprosin and insulin resistance in patients with PCOS patients. The study enrolled 213 PCOS patients and 213 age-matched and body mass index-matched controls. The serum asprosin levels and the relationship between asprosin and PCOS with IR were compared between the 2 groups. In the current study, it was found that the serum asprosin level and hemostasis of model assessment-insulin resistance of PCOS were significantly higher than those of the control group, and asprosin was independently correlated with hemostasis of model assessment-insulin resistance and CRP (P < .05). Asprosin was found to be statistically significant in the analysis of receiver operating characteristics, and the specific result was 0.826 (0.724-0.879). This study emphasizes that increased levels of asprosin are independently associated with PCOS, and asprosin may be a new indicator for evaluating insulin resistance in PCOS patients.

Effects of asprosin on estradiol and progesterone secretion and proliferation of bovine granulosa cells

Asprosin is an adipokine synthesized by the white adipose tissue that regulates glucose homeostasis and that has been reported to affect bovine theca cell function and follicular growth, but its role on granulosa cell functions remains to be unveiled. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate asprosin impacts on granulosa cell steroidogenesis. Bovine granulosa cells from small ovarian follicles were cultured in vitro to investigate the effects of asprosin on cell proliferation, production of steroids, mRNA abundance of genes that encode steroidogenic enzymes and cell cycle regulators, and protein relative abundance of steroidogenic signaling pathways. Asprosin was shown to affect granulosa cell functions in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of FSH, asprosin enhanced estradiol production and stimulated an increase in mRNA expression of FSHR and CYP19A1 in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of IGF1, asprosin decreased estradiol production, increased progesterone production, altered PKA relative protein expression, and tended to alter the ratio of p-ERK1/2/total ERK1/2 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, asprosin increased p-53 gene expression in basal culture conditions and with or without FSH and IGF1. Taken together, findings of this study show that asprosin is a regulator of granulosa cell functions and the effects of asprosin depend on dose and cell culture conditions.

Asprosin Enhances Cytokine Production by a Co-Culture of Fully Differentiated Mature Adipocytes and Macrophages Leading to the Exacerbation of the Condition Typical of Obesity-Related Inflammation

Asprosin, a fasting-induced, glucogenic, and orexigenic adipokine, has gained popularity in recent years as a potential target in the fight against obesity and its complications. However, the contribution of asprosin to the development of moderate obesity-related inflammation remains still unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of asprosin on the inflammatory activation of adipocyte–macrophage co-cultures at various stages of differentiation. The study was performed on co-cultures of the murine 3T3L1 adipocyte and the RAW264.7 macrophage cell lines treated with asprosin before, during, and after 3T3L1 cell differentiation, with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Cell viability, overall cell activity, and the expression and release of key inflammatory cytokines were analyzed. In the concentration range of 50–100 nM, asprosin increased the pro-inflammatory activity in the mature co-culture and enhanced the expression and release of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Macrophage migration was also increased, which could be related to the upregulated expression and release of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) by the adipocytes. In summary, asprosin exerted a pro-inflammatory effect on the mature adipocyte–macrophage co-culture and may contribute to the spread of moderate obesity-associated inflammation. Nevertheless, further research is needed to fully elucidate this process.

Correlation of asprosin and Nrg-4 with type 2 diabetes Mellitus Complicated with Coronary Heart Disease and the Diagnostic Value

PURPOSE

Asprosin is a newly discovered adipose factor secreted by white fat, which is involved in glucose metabolism and inflammation. Neuregulin-4 (Nrg-4) is a new adipose factor released from brown adipose tissue and is considered to play an important role in metabolism. This study aims to explore the association between serum Asprosin, Nrg-4 level and coronary heart disease(CHD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) and the diagnostic value.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

157 patients with T2DM were enrolled from Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University between December 2020 to July 2021. These patients were divided into T2DM without CHD group (T2DM-0, n = 80) and T2DM with CHD (T2DM-CHD, n = 77). Serum Asprosin and Nrg-4 expression was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the correlations between Asprosin or Nrg-4 and clinical and biochemical indicators were analyzed. A receiver operating characteristics curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy.

RESULTS

Serum Asprosin level of the T2DM-CHD group were significantly higher and Nrg-4 level significantly lower than those of the T2DM-0 group.Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum Asprosin levels were significantly positively correlated with diabetes course,history of hypertension, fasting plasma glucose(FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1C), triglycerides(TG),triglyceride glucose index(TyG index) and urea, and negatively correlated with ALT (all p < 0.05). Nrg-4 was negatively correlated with history of hypertension, body mass index(BMI), FPG, HbA1C, TG, and TyG indexes (all p < 0.05), and positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)(p < 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting potential confounders, Asprosin was a risk factor for diabetes mellitus, Nrg-4 was a protective factor.The AUC of Asprosin for diagnosing T2DM-CHD was 0.671 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.584-0.759), and the AUC of the Nrg4 index for diagnosing T2DM-CHD was 0.772 (95% CI 0.700-0.844). The AUC of Asprosin and Nrg-4 for the combined diagnosis of T2DM-CHD was 0.796 (95% CI 0.726-0.864).

CONCLUSION

Asprosin and Nrg-4 may be novel diagnostic biomarkers for T2DM with CHD, as they effectively improved the diagnostic accuracy for T2DM-CHD.

Asprosin, irisin, and meteorin-like protein immunoreactivity in different stages of colorectal adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunoreactivity of asprosin, irisin, and meteorin-like protein (METRNL) in different stages of colorectal adenocarcinoma, which is the most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Overall, 60 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, including 20 well (Group 1), moderately (Group 2), and poorly differentiated (Group 3) cases, respectively, and 20 with normal colonic mucosa, were examined using light microscopy for immunohistochemical staining of asprosin, METRNL, and irisin.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, a significant increase in irisin and asprosin immunoreactivity was found in the grade 1 and 2 colorectal adenocarcinoma groups. Moreover, compared with the grade 1 and 2 groups, this immunoreactivity was significantly decreased in the grade 3 colorectal adenocarcinoma group. Although there was no significant difference in METRNL immunoreactivity between the grade 1 and control groups, a statistically significant increase in this immunoreactivity was found in the grade 2 group. In contrast, METRNL immunoreactivity was significantly decreased in the grade 3 group compared with the grade 2 group.

CONCLUSION

We found that in early-stage colorectal adenocarcinoma there was an increase in the immunoreactivity of asprosin and irisin, but in the advanced stage there was a decrease in immunoreactivity. Although METRNL immunoreactivity did not change in the control and grade 1 groups, it was found to increase significantly in the grade 2 group and decrease in the grade 3 group.

Asprosin aggravates vascular endothelial dysfunction via disturbing mitochondrial dynamics in obesity models

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the contribution of asprosin (ASP), a fasting-induced hormone involved in metabolic disorders, to vascular endothelial dysfunction in obesity models.

METHODS

Primary rat thoracic aortic endothelial cells treated with palmitic acid and mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) were used as the obesity models. The role and mechanism of ASP in endothelial dysfunction were investigated by the means of morphologic, functional, and genetic analysis.

RESULTS

ASP aggravated the endothelial dysfunction induced by either palmitic acid in vitro or an HFD in vivo, characterized as the impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation, reduction of nitric oxide levels, elevation of malondialdehyde levels, and inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT-endothelial nitric oxide synthase signaling. However, adipose conditional knockout of ASP or ASP neutralization significantly alleviated the endothelial dysfunction induced by an HFD. Mechanistically, ASP enhanced mitochondrial fission, and inhibition of the fission through knockdown of dynamin-related protein 1 (a fission-hallmark factor) rescued the endothelial dysfunction and the disturbance to mitochondrial dynamics induced by ASP.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrate that ASP causes and even exacerbates vascular endothelial dysfunction through promoting mitochondrial fission in obesity, suggesting that ASP can act as an early predictive marker of blood vessel dysfunction and become a novel potential therapeutic target for obesity-related cardiovascular diseases.

Serum Asprosin Level as a New Biomarker in Differentiating Familial Mediterranean Fever Attacks

Introduction Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessively inherited disease characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and sterile polyserositis. Recently, some proteins originating from adipose tissue have been demonstrated to play a critical role in the inflammatory process. Asprosin is a new adipokine secreted by adipose tissue, and proinflammatory cytokines have been determined to increase with the decrease of circulating asprosin. This study was designed to evaluate the level of asprosin in the acute attack and attack-free period in FMF patients. Materials and methods A total of 65 FMF patients were evaluated for this cross-sectional case-control study. Those who were obese and had concomitant diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart failure, and rheumatological disease were excluded from the study. The patients were divided into two groups: attack-free period and attack period. Fifteen healthy individuals who were not obese and had no additional disease were included as the control group. Demographic data, gene analyses, laboratory findings, and symptoms were recorded at the time of diagnosis. Serum asprosin level was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test in the outpatient clinic controls of the patients. Asprosin levels and other laboratory findings were compared between the attack, attack-free, and control groups. Results Of the patients included in the study, 50% were in the attack period, and 50% were in the free-attack period. The mean age of the FMF patients was 34±10 years. Asprosin level in the control [median (interquartile range (IQR))=30.4 (21.5-57.7) ng/mL] group was significantly higher than the attack [median (IQR)=21.5 (17.5-28) ng/mL] and attack-free [median (IQR)=19(18.7-23) ng/mL] groups (p=0.001). C-reactive protein and sedimentation levels were significantly higher in the attack group compared to the other two groups (p<0.001). There was a moderate correlation between C-reactive protein and asprosin levels (Ro=-0.314, p=0.01). The cut-off value of serum asprosin level was determined as 21.6 ng/mL; sensitivity was 78%, and specificity was 77% (p<0.001). Conclusion The study demonstrated that the serum asprosin levels of FMF patients with acute attack were lower than those in the attack-free periods and healthy controls. Asprosin is likely to have a role in the anti-inflammatory cascade.

Adipokines and myokines as indicators of obese phenotypes and their association with the gut microbiome diversity indices

Today, metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) are distinguished. Adipose and muscle tissues can determine the obese phenotype due to adipokine and myokine production. Gut microbial community is also involved in MHO. The study was aimed to reveal the features of adipokine and myokine levels and their association with the gut microbiome alpha diversity in patients with MHO and MUO. A total of 265 subjects were divided into two groups: healthy individuals and obese patients. The latter were divided into two subgroups: patients with MHO and patients with MUO. Body mass index, waist circumference, HOMA-IR, adipokine and myokine levels, gut microbiome taxonomic composition, alpha diversity indices were defined in all the surveyed individuals, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism was also assessed. Significant differences in the adipokine and myokine levels and their association with the gut microbiome diversity indicators were revealed in patients with different obese phenotypes. Patients with MHO and MUO showed significantly lower adiponectin levels (р < 0.05) and significantly higher leptin and asprosin levels (р < 0.05) than healthy individuals. Patients with MUO had lower adiponectin and leptin levels (p < 0.05) than patients with MHO. Significantly higher FGF21 levels were observed in patients with MUO. Large-scale correlation analysis revealed the relationship between the glucose levels and the gut microbiome diversity indices that was missing in patients with MUO. This indicated the loss of the microbiota diversity effects on the blood glucose control in individuals with MUO, as well as different regulatory roles in the gut microbiome‒liver‒muscle/adipose tissue axes of individuals with MHO and MUO played by gut microbiota. The findings show the relationship between the gut microbiome diversity and the obese phenotype.

Asprosin in health and disease, a new glucose sensor with central and peripheral metabolic effects

Adipose tissue malfunction leads to altered adipokine secretion which might consequently contribute to an array of metabolic diseases spectrum including obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disorders. Asprosin is a novel diabetogenic adipokine classified as a caudamin hormone protein. This adipokine is released from white adipose tissue during fasting and elicits glucogenic and orexigenic effects. Although white adipose tissue is the dominant source for this multitask adipokine, other tissues also may produce asprosin such as salivary glands, pancreatic B-cells, and cartilage. Significantly, plasma asprosin levels link to glucose metabolism, lipid profile, insulin resistance (IR), and β-cell function. Indeed, asprosin exhibits a potent role in the metabolic process, induces hepatic glucose production, and influences appetite behavior. Clinical and preclinical research showed dysregulated levels of circulating asprosin in several metabolic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD), and several types of cancer. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the asprosin role in the etiology and pathophysiological manifestations of these conditions. Asprosin could be a promising candidate for both novel pharmacological treatment strategies and diagnostic tools, although developing a better understanding of its function and signaling pathways is still needed.

Fibrillin-1 and asprosin, novel players in metabolic syndrome

Fibrillin-1 is a major component of the extracellular microfibrils, where it interacts with other extracellular matrix proteins to provide elasticity to connective tissues, and regulates the bioavailability of TGFβ family members. A peptide consisting of the C-terminal 140 amino acids of fibrillin-1 has recently been identified as a glucogenic hormone, secreted from adipose tissue during fasting and targeting the liver to release glucose. This fragment, called asprosin, also signals in the hypothalamus to stimulate appetite. Asprosin levels are correlated with many of the pathologies indicative of metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance and obesity. Previous studies and reviews have addressed the therapeutic potential of asprosin as a target in obesity, diabetes and related conditions without considering mechanisms underlying the relationship between generation of asprosin and expression of the much larger fibrillin-1 protein. Profibrillin-1 undergoes obligatory cleavage at the cell surface as part of its assembly into microfibrils, producing the asprosin peptide as well as mature fibrillin-1. Patterns of FBN1 mRNA expression are inconsistent with the necessity for regulated release of asprosin. The asprosin peptide may be protected from degradation in adipose tissue. We present evidence for an alternative possibility, that asprosin mRNA is generated independently from an internal promoter within the 3' end of the FBN1 gene, which would allow for regulation independent of fibrillin-synthesis and is more economical of cellular resources. The discovery of asprosin opened exciting possibilities for treatment of metabolic syndrome related conditions, but there is much to be understood before such therapies could be introduced into the clinic.

Angiogenesis-Browning Interplay Mediated by Asprosin-Knockout Contributes to Weight Loss in Mice with Obesity

Asprosin (ASP) is a recently identified adipokine secreted by white adipose tissue (WAT). It plays important roles in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis in the fasting state and in the occurrence and development of obesity. However, there is no report on whether and how ASP would inhibit angiogenesis and fat browning in the mouse adipose microenvironment. Therefore, the study sought to investigate the effects of ASP-knockout on angiogenesis and fat browning, and to identify the interaction between them in the ASP-knockout mouse adipose microenvironment. In the experiments in vivo, the ASP-knockout alleviated the obesity induced by a high fat diet (HFD) and increased the expressions of the browning-related proteins including uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PRD1-BF-1-RIZ1 homologus domain-containing protein-16 (PRDM16) and PPAR gamma coactivator 1 (PGC1-α) and the endothelial cell marker (CD31). In the experiments in vitro, treatment with the conditional medium (CM) from ASP-knockout adipocytes (ASP^-/--CM) significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells, and increased the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway proteins. In addition, the treatment with CM from endothelial cells (EC-CM) markedly reduced the accumulation of lipid droplets and increased the expressions of the browning-related proteins and the mitochondrial contents. Moreover, the treatment with EC-CM significantly improved the energy metabolism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results highlight that ASP-knockout can promote the browning and angiogenesis of WAT, and the fat browning and angiogenesis can interact in the mouse adipose microenvironment, which contributes to weight loss in the mice with obesity.

Effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on asprosin levels in normal weight or overweight/obesity patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Asprosin is a newly identified adipokine with glucose-raising and appetite-enhancing effects which acts differently from the known hepatic glucose utilization pathway. This study investigated changes in serum asprosin levels in normal weight or overweight/obese liraglutide-treated patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study is a non-randomized, prospective observational study. The metabolic parameters and asprosin levels were compared between 90 people with T2DM and 66 people who had normal glucose tolerance (NGT). During the treatment phase, only T2DM patients were given liraglutide at doses of 0.6 mg/d for the first 2 weeks, 1.2 mg/d for the subsequent 4 weeks, and 1.8 mg/d for the following 16 weeks. T2DM patients were separated into a normal weight group and an overweight/obesity group to compare changes in asprosin and parameters pre- and post-treatment. The T2DM group had significantly higher fasting asprosin and 2h-postprandial asprosin levels than the NGT group (all P < .001). Fasting asprosin and postprandial asprosin positively correlated with BMI, 2hPG, HbA1c, TG, and HOMA-IR, and negatively correlated with HDL-C in both the T2DM and NGT groups. Asprosin levels decreased after liraglutide treatment in both normal and overweight/obesity T2DM groups (all P < .001), with significantly reduced body weight and BMI in overweight/obese T2DM patients (all P < .001). Fasting and postprandial serum asprosin concentrations are higher in T2DM patients compared to normal glucose controls. Fasting and postprandial asprosin positively correlated with BMI, 2hPG, HbA1c, TG, and HOMA-IR and negatively correlated with HDL-C in all participants. Liraglutide lowers asprosin levels in T2DM patients and can reduce weight and BMI in overweight or obese type 2 diabetics.

Differential Regulation of Genes by the Glucogenic Hormone Asprosin in Ovarian Cancer

Background: Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the most lethal forms of gynaecological malignancy. Altered energy metabolism and increased aerobic glycolysis in OvCa are hallmarks that demand attention. The glucogenic hormone asprosin is often dysregulated in metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, diabetes (type 2 and gestational), and preeclampsia. Despite association with metabolic disorders, its role in energy metabolism within the tumour microenvironment is yet to be explored. Here, we study the role of asprosin in OvCa using transcriptomics and expand on functional studies with clinical samples. Methods: RNA sequencing, functional gene enrichment analysis, Western blotting and ImageStream. Results: Following treatment with 100 nM of asprosin, the serous OvCa cell line, SKOV-3, displayed 160 and 173 gene regulatory changes, at 4 and 12 h respectively, when compared with control samples (p < 0.05 and Log2FC > 1). In addition to energy metabolism and glucose-related pathways, asprosin was shown to alter pathways associated with cell communication, TGF-β signalling, and cell proliferation. Moreover, asprosin was shown to induce phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in the same in vitro model. Using liquid biopsies, we also report for novel expression of asprosin’s predicted receptors OR4M1 and TLR4 in cancer-associated circulating cells; with significant reduction seen between pre-chemotherapy and end of first line chemotherapy, in addition to patients under maintenance with bevacizumab +/− olaparib for OR4M1. Conclusions: In relation to OvCa, asprosin appears to regulate numerous signalling pathways in-vitro. The prognostic potential of OR4M1 in liquid biopsies should also be explored further.

Decrease in serum asprosin levels following six weeks of spinning and stationary cycling training in overweight women

OBJECTIVES

Secreted by white adipose tissue, asprosin is a newly recognized adipokine whose physiological function is not well comprehended. This study intended to determine the effect of spinning and stationary cycling on serum asprosin levels in overweight women.

METHODS

Forty-five overweight women with BMI>25 kg/m² in the age range of 30-40 years were assigned randomly to three groups of 15 participants: control, spinning (group cycling with music), and stationary bike (individual pedaling on a stationary bike). The participants performed the exercises three sessions per week for six weeks. Lipid profile and asprosin levels were measured by enzymatic and ELISA methods, respectively. Moreover, the paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were employed to make within-group and between-group comparisons, respectively.

RESULTS

The stationary cycling and spinning exercise groups experienced significant reductions in weight, BMI, serum triglyceride, and asprosin levels from the pretest to the posttest. The control group showed no statistically significant differences. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein only declined in the spinning group. In this regard, neither the control group nor the stationary bicycle exhibited no significant change over time. The spinning group demonstrated a significant rise in high-density lipoprotein levels, which was not observed in the control group. In addition, there was no significant difference in WHR index between the intervention groups.

CONCLUSIONS

By lowering the serum asprosin level, a spinning exercise program appears to be effective in reducing disorders linked to metabolic diseases in overweight women.

The Effects of Asprosin on Exercise-Intervention in Metabolic Diseases

Fibrillin is the major constituent of extracellular microfibrils, which are distributed throughout connective tissues. Asprosin is derived from the C-terminal region of the FBN1 gene, which encodes profibrillin that undergoes cleavage by furin protein. In response to fasting with low dietary glucose, asprosin is released as a secreted factor from white adipose tissue, and is transported to the liver for the mediation of glucose release into the blood circulation. Through binding to OLFR734, an olfactory G-protein-coupled receptor in liver cells, asprosin induces a glucogenic effect to regulate glucose homeostasis. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the FBN1 gene is abundantly expressed in human skeletal muscle-derived mesoangioblasts, osteoblast-like cells, and mesenchymal stem cells, indicating that the musculoskeletal system might play a role in the regulation of asprosin expression. Interestingly, recent studies suggest that asprosin is regulated by exercise. This timely review discusses the role of asprosin in metabolism, its receptor signalling, as well as the exercise regulation of asprosin. Collectively, asprosin may have a vital regulatory effect on the improvement of metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus and obesity via exercise.

The modulatory effects of irisin on asprosin, leptin, glucose levels and lipid profile in healthy and obese male and female rats

OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of irisin on asprosin, leptin, glucose levels and lipid profile in healthy and obese male and female rats.

METHODS

Irisin was subcutaneously administered with osmotic minipumps at the dose of 100 ng/kg/day for 28 days and then, the serum levels of asprosin, leptin, glucose and lipid profile were investigated.

RESULTS

Irisin infusion increased asprosin levels in male rats (p = .02) but not in female rats. Irisin inhibited obesity-induced high glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG) and leptin levels in all groups; however, it did not lead to any change in asprosin levels in both obese female and male rats.

CONCLUSIONS

It was determined that irisin increased serum asprosin levels and decreased LDL, TG, glucose and leptin levels, and this could indicate a protective role of irisin against obesity development.

Association of cord blood asprosin concentration with atherogenic lipid profile and anthropometric indices

BACKGROUND

Elevated lipids in umbilical cord blood affect fetal programming, leading to a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in later life. However, the causes of changes in the lipid profile of umbilical cord blood are not clear yet. This study aimed for the first time to determine the association of asprosin concentration with TAG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C concentrations and TAG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio in umbilical cord blood as well as newborn anthropometric indices. This cross-sectional study was based on 450 mother- newborn pairs of a birth cohort study in Sabzevar, Iran. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the association of lipid concentration and lipid ratios as well as birth weight (BW), birth length (BL), head circumference (HC) and chest circumference (CC) with asprosin in cord blood samples controlled for the relevant covariates.

RESULT

In fully adjusted models, each 1 ng/mL increase in asprosin was associated with 0.19 (95% CI 0.06, 0.31, P < 0.01), 0.19 (95% CI 0.10, 0.29, P < 0.01), 0.17 (95% CI 0.09, 0.25, P < 0.01), 0.17 (95% CI 0.09, 0.25, P < 0.01), 0.01 (95% CI 0.00, 0.013, P < 0.01), 0.01 (95% CI 0.01, 0.01, P < 0.01), 0.01 (95% CI 0.01, 0.01, P < 0.01) and 0.01 (95% CI 0.01, 0.01, P < 0.01) increase in TAG, TC, LDL-C, TAG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio respectively. Moreover, higher asprosin levels was positively associated with newborn BW, BL, HC and CC; however, these associations were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our findings support the positive association between cord asprosin concentration and the development of atherogenic lipid profile in newborns. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings of this study in other populations.

Asprosin, a C-Terminal Cleavage Product of Fibrillin 1 Encoded by the FBN1 Gene, in Health and Disease

BACKGROUND

Asprosin is a novel fasting-induced, glucogenic, and orexigenic protein hormone that is discovered with the help of genetic studies in patients with neonatal progeroid syndrome. Asprosin is encoded by the penultimate 2 exons (65 and 66) of the fibrillin 1 (FBN1) gene. Profibrillin 1 is the unprocessed protein product of FBN1 and undergoes a proteolytic cleavage by furin enzyme to produce mature fibrillin 1 and asprosin. The main organ responsible for the asprosin production seems to be white adipose tissue.

SUMMARY

Asprosin promotes hepatic glucose release in the liver and appetite stimulation in the hypothalamus through activation of the cAMP signaling circuitry through interacting with its G protein-coupled receptor, called OR4M1. Increasing mass of evidence suggests that asprosin is involved in the development and progression of various clinical conditions including diabetes, obesity, cardiomyopathy, cancer, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. It regulates various cellular and physiological processes such as appetite stimulation, glucose release, insulin secretion, apoptotic cell death, and inflammatory response. In this review, we discuss the current literature on asprosin and try to shed light on the yet undiscovered functions of asprosin.

KEY MESSAGE

Asprosin is a key regulatory factor for preserving the homeostasis of energy metabolism.

Ameliorative Effect of Oxytocin on FBN1 and PEPCK Gene Expression, and Behavioral Patterns in Rats' Obesity-Induced Diabetes

Amelioration of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance associated with obesity is a cardinal target for therapeutics. Therefore, we investigated the relation of Fibrilln-1 (FBN1) mRNA expression and hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate caboxykinase (PEPCK) enzyme to the ameliorative impact of oxytocin on obesity-induced diabetes, suggesting glycogenolysis markers in diabetic models. Four groups of forty male Wistar rats were formed (n = 10): a control group fed basal diet and intraperitoneal injections of saline; an oxytocin-injected group; a diet-induced obese group fed a high-fat/high-sugar diet and injected with saline; a diet-induced obese group injected with oxytocin. Depending on blood glucose levels, obese groups were further sub-grouped into prediabetic, and diabetic rats, with 5 rats each, at the ninth and the 16th week of the feeding period, respectively. FBN1 expression and PEPCK activity were determined using the qPCR technique and some biochemical parameters (glycemic, lipid profile, kidney, and liver functions) were determined using kits. Obese groups showed an elevation of brain FBN1 expression, high serum lipid profile, high glucose level, and a deleterious impact on liver and kidney functions. Obese groups showed the stimulator effect of the PEPCK enzyme and time-dependent pathological changes in renal and hepatic tissues. The motor activities were negatively correlated with FBN1 gene expression in prediabetic and diabetic rats. In addition to our previous review of the crucial role of asprosin, here we showed that oxytocin could ameliorate obesity-induced diabetes and decrease FBN1 gene expression centrally to block appetite. Oxytocin caused decreases in PEPCK enzyme activity as well as glycogenolysis in the liver. Therefore, oxytocin has a potential effect on FBN1 expression and PEPCK enzyme activity in the obesity-induced diabetic-rat model.

Auto-segmentation and time-dependent systematic analysis of mesoscale cellular structure in β-cells during insulin secretion

The mesoscale description of the subcellular organization informs about cellular mechanisms in disease state. However, applications of soft X-ray tomography (SXT), an important approach for characterizing organelle organization, are limited by labor-intensive manual segmentation. Here we report a pipeline for automated segmentation and systematic analysis of SXT tomograms. Our approach combines semantic and first-applied instance segmentation to produce separate organelle masks with high Dice and Recall indexes, followed by analysis of organelle localization based on the radial distribution function. We demonstrated this technique by investigating the organization of INS-1E pancreatic β-cell organization under different treatments at multiple time points. Consistent with a previous analysis of a similar dataset, our results revealed the impact of glucose stimulation on the localization and molecular density of insulin vesicles and mitochondria. This pipeline can be extended to SXT tomograms of any cell type to shed light on the subcellular rearrangements under different drug treatments.

Sensitive asprosin detection in clinical samples reveals serum/saliva correlation and indicates cartilage as source for serum asprosin

The C-terminal pro-fibrillin-1 propeptide asprosin is described as white adipose tissue derived hormone that stimulates rapid hepatic glucose release and activates hunger-promoting hypothalamic neurons. Numerous studies proposed correlations of asprosin levels with clinical parameters. However, the enormous variability of reported serum and plasma asprosin levels illustrates the need for sensitive and reliable detection methods in clinical samples. Here we report on newly developed biochemical methods for asprosin concentration and detection in several body fluids including serum, plasma, saliva, breast milk, and urine. Since we found that glycosylation impacts human asprosin detection we analyzed its glycosylation profile. Employing a new sandwich ELISA revealed that serum and saliva asprosin correlate strongly, depend on biological sex, and feeding status. To investigate the contribution of connective tissue-derived asprosin to serum levels we screened two cohorts with described cartilage turnover. Serum asprosin correlated with COMP, a marker for cartilage degradation upon running exercise and after total hip replacement surgery. This together with our finding that asprosin is produced by primary human chondrocytes and expressed in human cartilage suggests a contribution of cartilage to serum asprosin. Furthermore, we determined asprosin levels in breast milk, and urine, for the first time, and propose saliva asprosin as an accessible clinical marker for future studies.