Autor:innen:
Dr. Dr. Haifa Maalmi | German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; | Germany
Thomas Fischer | German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. med. Florian Kronenberg | Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria | Austria
Prof. Dr. Barbara Thorand | German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. med. Wolfgang Rathmann | German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany | Germany
Dr. Margit Heier | Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. Annette Peters | German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; Helmholtz Zentrum, Neuherberg, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Koenig | University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. Michael Roden | German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany | Germany
Prof. Dr. Christian Herder | German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany; Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany | Germany
Dr. Maren Carstensen-Kirberg | German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), München-Neuherberg, Germany | Germany
Background
A meta-analysis of eight cohorts reported an association between higher concentrations of afamin, a vitamin E-binding glycoprotein, and the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This association may be partially explained by inflammation. However, while the association between inflammation and T2D is well investigated, the association between inflammation and afamin remains unclear. Therefore, we hypothesized that afamin might be positively associated with pro- and inversely related to anti-inflammatory biomarkers implicated in T2D.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 1,041 participants aged 62-81 years from the KORA F4 study, of whom 622 had prediabetes or T2D. Serum concentrations of afamin as well as pro-inflammatory [high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-18 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)] and anti-inflammatory [adiponectin, IL-22 and IL-1 receptor alpha (IL-1Rα)] biomarkers were measured using a high-sensitivity latex-enhanced nephelometric assay (hsCRP) or ELISA (all others). Associations between inflammatory biomarkers and afamin (dependent variable) were evaluated using multiple linear regressions.
Results
Serum afamin concentrations were inversely associated with serum concentrations of both pro-inflammatory biomarkers [CRP: β= –1.1 (−1.9; −0.4), p=0.0025; IL-6: β= –1.9 (−3.0; −0.7), p=0.0016] and anti-inflammatory biomarkers [adiponectin: β= –3.2 (−4.5; −1.9), p< 0.0001); IL-22: β= –0.8 (−1.4; −0.1), p=0.0249] after adjustment for age, sex, BMI and multiple metabolic and lifestyle factors. No associations with afamin were found for IL-18, TNF-α and IL-1Rα.
Conclusion
Serum afamin concentrations are inversely associated with both pro- and anti-inflammatory biomarkers. Mechanistic studies should clarify whether inflammatory biomarkers are involved in the association between afamin and T2D.