Previous studies have shown that angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8), also called as betatrophin, acts together with ANGPTL3 to regulate lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and energy homeostasis. Moreover, ANGPTL8 promotes proliferation of pancreatic β-cells and induces insulin secretion. However, there are no previous longitudinal studies in humans. We analyzed the age- and sex-matched data of 240 normal weight and overweight Korean children from the Korean Metabolic disorders and Obesity Study in Elementary School children (K-MOSES), a prospective observational cohort study. At baseline, ANGPTL8 concentrations were positively associated with triglycerides (TG) (r = 0.168, P = 0.010), whereas ANGPTL3 levels were associated with fasting insulin (r = 0.248, P < 0.001) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = 0.197, P = 0.002). Although both ANGPTL8 and ANGPTL3 levels did not differ between children with normal weight and children with overweight, ANGPTL8 levels were increased in males compared to females (341.2 [267.4–436.5] vs. 270.2 [213.9–378.8] pg/ml, P = 0.001). In particular, there was no significant inter-relationship between circulating ANGPTL8 and ANGPTL3 concentrations in Korean boys and girls (r = −0.073, P = 0.265). Multivariate analysis showed that baseline ANGPTL8 concentrations were independently associated with future changes of serum TG levels in Korean children after adjusting for confounding factors after a 3 year follow-up period (r = −0.165, P = 0.016). This longitudinal study demonstrated for the first time that baseline ANGPTL8 levels were associated with baseline and future changes in TG levels in Korean children.

Background: Adipokines contribute directly to the atherosclerotic process, connecting metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease. Omentin-1 is a recently discovered novel adipokine, so data about the relationship of this adipokine to vascular health in type 2 diabetes is limited. Methods: We enrolled 60 people with type 2 diabetes, with or without carotid plaque, and 30 participants with normal glucose tolerance. We measured serum omentin-1, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), as well as other cardiovascular risk factors. Vascular health was assessed by brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Results: Serum omentin-1 levels were significantly decreased in type 2 diabetes patients compared to normal glucose controls and was further reduced in type 2 diabetes patients with carotid plaque compared to those without carotid plaque. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that age, systolic blood pressure, history of use of statins, angiotensin receptor blockers or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and serum omentin-1 level were independent factors determining baPWV in people with type 2 diabetes (r ² = 0.637). Furthermore, in multivariate logistic regression analysis, circulating omentin-1 level was an independent decisive factor for the presence of carotid plaque in type 2 diabetes patients, even after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and history of smoking and medication (odds ratio, 0.621; 95% confidence interval, 0.420-0.919; P = 0.017). Conclusions: Circulating omentin-1 level was independently correlated with arterial stiffness and carotid plaque in type 2 diabetes, even after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors and detailed medication history.

C1q/TNF-related protein-3 (CTRP-3), an adiponectin paralog, and progranulin were recently identified as novel adipokines which may link obesity with glucose dysregulation and subclinical inflammation. We analyzed the relationship between CTRP-3, progranulin and coronary artery disease (CAD) in Korean men and women.

To investigate the characteristics of retinal vessels and retinal thickness in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with or without reticular pseudodrusen. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical history and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography images of consecutive patients with early AMD. We calculated the retinal vessel densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexus with the ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA) and investigated the relationship with mean retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness. We included 135 early AMD eyes and classified 60 of them into a reticular pseudodrusen group and 75 into a non-reticular pseudodrusen group. The vascular densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexus in the reticular pseudodrusen group (32.35% ± 3.67 and 26.71% ± 2.88%) were not different from those of the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (33.18% ± 2.2% and % 27.43 ± 1.79%; P = 0.546 and P = 0.318, respectively). The retinal thickness of the reticular pseudodrusen group (287.31 μm ± 24.36 μm) did not differ from that of the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (294.27 μm ± 20.71 μm; P = 0.493), while subfoveal choroidal thickness in the reticular pseudodrusen group (158.13 μm ± 42.53 μm) was lower than that in the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (237.89 μm ± 60.94 μm; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that lower vascular density of the superficial capillary plexus and subfoveal choroidal thickness were associated with retinal thinning in reticular pseudodrusen group (P = 0.003 and P = 0.036) and older age was associated with retinal thickness in the non-reticular pseudodrusen group (P = 0.005). Retinal thinning in early AMD patients with reticular pseudodrusen was accompanied by choroidal and retinal vascular loss, which suggests a possible linkage of retinal thinning with vascular alterations.

Shin HR, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2005 Dec;20(6):985-988. http://dx.doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2005.20.6.985