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 aged 22–69 recruited from Jinan 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.