Circulating Levels of C1q/TNF-Related Protein-12 (CTRP-12) in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Case-control Study

The C1q complement/TNF-related protein (CTRP) superfamily is a newly diagnosed adipokine with anti-inflammatory, insulin sensitivity, and glucose lowering effects. This study aimed to assess the plasma circulating levels of CTRP12 in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients and healthy subjects.

In this case-control study, plasma concentration of CTRP12 was measured by ELISA in 60 subjects (30 T2D and 30 healthy participants). The systolic blood pressure (SBP), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured.

In contrast to the SBP, WC, WHR, BMI, FBS, HbA1c, insulin, and HOMA-IR, the levels of CTRP12 were significantly lower in T2D patients. There was significant negative correlation between CTRP12, FBS, and HbA1c. The regression analysis showed that when subjected to stepwise multiple regression analysis, HbA1c (β = -2.21; P < 0.004) was predictive of plasma levels of CTRP12.

Finally, HbA1c was predictive of CTRP12 levels. It seems that CTRP12 could be considered as a novel biomarker for the prediction of T2D.