THE ROLE OF ASPROSIN IN LIPID METABOLISM IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND CHRONIC PANCREATITIS

Abstract

Background. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent metabolic disease that significantly affects patients' quality of life and increases mortality due to complications. Understanding the relationships between T2DM and chronic pancreatitis (CP) is very important, as both conditions significantly impact metabolic processes in the body, particularly lipid metabolism. Asprosin, a recently discovered adipokine, plays a key role in regulating glucose homeostasis and appetite. Its elevated levels are associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and T2DM, making it a potential biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring metabolic disorders.

Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between asprosin levels and lipid metabolism indicators in patients with T2DM and CP.

Materials and Methods. The study included 100 patients treated at the Kharkiv Regional Clinical Hospital from 2020 to 2022, divided into two groups: the first group included 70 patients with T2DM and CP, and the second group consisted of 30 patients with T2DM.

The control group consisted of 20 relatively healthy men and women of appropriate age. Asprosin levels were determined by indirect non-competitive heterogeneous enzyme immunoassay. Lipid profile indicators were determined by standard biochemical methods. Correlations were assessed using Pearson's linear correlation coefficient.

Results. In the group of patients with T2DM and CP, the level of total cholesterol (TC) was 5.01 ± 0.78 mmol/L, triglycerides (TG) – 2.29±0.84 mmol/L, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) – 1.19±0.19 mmol/L, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) – 3.32±1.1 mmol/L, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) – 0.92±0.47 mmol/L. In the T2DM group, the levels of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C were 5.35±1.15, 1.91±0.64, 1.03±0.14, 3.5±0.8, and 0.96±0.51 mmol/L, respectively. In the control group, these indicators were 4.25±1.08, 1.01±0.25, 1.31±0.22, 2.35±0.55, and 0.65±0.21 mmol/L, respectively.

The levels of all studied lipid metabolism indicators exhibited statistically significant differences between the control group and both the first and second groups. The highest asprosin level (10.06±3.56 ng/mL) was noted in the group with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic pancreatitis. In the patients with isolated type 2 diabetes mellitus significant moderate correlations between asprosin and total cholesterol, and LDL-C (direct) and HDL-C (reverse) levels were established. In the group of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic pancreatitis, significant moderate direct correlations between asprosin and total cholesterol, and LDL-C levels were also established.

Conclusions. Asprosin is a new adipokine associated with lipid metabolism disorders, that making it a potential target for therapeutic intervention in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications. Further research is needed to better understand the role of asprosin in the pathogenesis of these diseases and to develop new approaches to their treatment.