CTRP3 is a novel biomarker for diabetic retinopathy and inhibits HGHL-induced VCAM-1 expression in an AMPK-dependent manner

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 12; no. 6; p. e0178253
• Main Authors: Yan, Zheyi, Zhao, Jianli, Gan, Lu, Zhang, Yanqing, Guo, Rui, Cao, Xiaoming, Lau, Wayne Bond, Ma, Xin, Wang, Yajing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 20.06.2017; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: AMP-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Anesthesiology; Arteriosclerosis; Assaying; Atherosclerosis; Attenuation; Bioindicators; Biological markers; Biology and life sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Case-Control Studies; Cell adhesion & migration; Cells, Cultured; Cholesterol; Chronic illnesses; Collagen - metabolism; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - diagnosis; Diabetic Retinopathy - etiology; Diabetic Retinopathy - metabolism; Emergency medical care; Endothelial cells; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - metabolism; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Glucose; Glucose - adverse effects; Hemoglobin; Hospitals; Humans; Inflammation; Lipids - adverse effects; Male; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metabolism; Microvasculature; Middle Aged; Mortality; Obesity; Patients; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Plasma; Proteins; Regression analysis; Retina; Retinal Vessels - cytology; Retinal Vessels - drug effects; Retinal Vessels - metabolism; Retinopathy; Triglycerides; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor Necrosis Factors - metabolism; Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 - metabolism; China; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178253

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe complication of chronic diabetes. The C1q/TNF-related protein family (CTRPs) has been demonstrated to exert protective effects against obesity and atherosclerosis in animal studies. Heretofore, the association between circulating CTRPs and DR patients has been unexplored. In the current study, we attempt to define this association, as well as the effect of CTRPs upon DR pathophysiology. The present investigation is a case control study that enrolled control subjects and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients diagnosed with DR. Serum CTRPs and sVACM-1 were determined by ELISA. Serum CTRP3 and CTRP5 levels were markedly decreased in patients with T2DM compared to controls (p<0.05) and inversely associated with T2DM. Furthermore, mutivariate regression and ROC analysis revealed CTRP3 deficiency, not CTRP5, was associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Spearman's rank correlation assay demonstrated an inverse association between CTRP3 and sVCAM-1. Finally, exogenous CTRP3 administration attenuated high glucose high lipid (HGHL)-induced VCAM-1 production in an AMPK-dependent manner in cultured human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs). CTRP3 may serve as a novel biomarker for DR severity. CTRP3 may represent a future novel therapeutic against DR, a common ocular complication of diabetes.