Human SERPINA12 blocking peptide

VASPIN, visceral adipose tissue-derived serpin, is an adipokine ameliorating insulin resistance in obesity. Here, we investigated the role of VASPIN and its genetic variants in lipid metabolism. We measured serum VASPIN concentrations by ELISA in 823 metabolically well-characterized Caucasian subjects (Sorbs from Germany). Furthermore, we genotyped 30 representative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in two independent cohorts with metabolic phenotyping, the Sorbs (N = 823) and Leipzig (N = 919), and conducted genotype-phenotype association analyses. Circulating VASPIN strongly correlated with triacylglycerol levels (TAG; p = 1.079 x 10(-11)), and moderately with apolipoprotein A1 and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.026). Genetic variants in VASPIN were nominally associated with cholesterol, high-density and low-density lipoprotein (HDL-chol, LDL-chol), lipoprotein A, and apolipoprotein B as well as with TAG and free fatty acids (all p < 0.05 adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index [BMI]). Mendelian randomization analysis using VASPIN SNP as an instrumental variable showed borderline influence of VASPIN on LDL-chol levels (p = 0.05). Associations of VASPIN and its genetic variation with metabolic traits suggest a role of VASPIN in human lipid metabolism.

Vaspin has recently been identified as novel adipokine with high expression in adipose tissue of obese and type 2 diabetic subjects and with potentially insulin-sensitising properties. However, the impact of vaspin gene variants on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has not been determined yet. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the association of vaspin single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with T2DM and obesity. We analysed the association between 25 vaspin SNPs and T2DM in initially healthy 35-84 year-old individuals of the population-based, cross-sectional German KORA F3 study and assessed the association with measures of obesity. Genotyping was carried out with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time of flight mass spectrometry of allele-dependent primer extension products and associations with T2DM and obesity were analysed by logistic regression analysis. Our results demonstrate a significant association of vaspin SNP rs2236242 with T2DM in the KORA F3 study with the AA genotype bearing an increased risk (adjusted OR 2.35 [1.59; 3.46] versus AT/TT). This association appears to be independent of obesity. Our finding corroborates previous studies that suggested a link between the novel adipokine vaspin and glucose metabolism.