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Adiponectin and protection against type 2 diabetes mellitus: Adiponectin, like leptin, is an adipocyte derived peptide. It is exclusively and abundantly expressed in white adipose tissue and has been shown to have insulin-sensitising and anti-inflammatory properties. A diabetes-susceptibility locus has been mapped to chromosome 3q27 where the adiponectin gene is located. This would suggest that adiponectin is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Spranger et al carried out a case-control study to assess whether baseline adiponectin concentrations in plasma are independently associated with risk of maturity onset diabetes. Subjects were enrolled in1994-1998 and were followed up 2-3 years later. They found that adiponectin levels were lower in individuals who later developed type 2 diabetes than in controls. Conversely, high levels were associated with a substantially reduced relative risk. Read more: Lancet 2003;361:226-8 |