Targeted proteomics identifies potential biomarkers of dysglycaemia, beta cell function and insulin sensitivity in Black African men and women
Authors' conclusion
We validated 34 proteins that were associated with type 2 diabetes, of which 11 were associated with measures of type 2 diabetes pathophysiology such as peripheral insulin sensitivity and beta cell function. This study highlights biomarkers that are similar between cohorts of different ancestry, with different lifestyles and sociodemographic profiles. The African-specific biomarkers identified require validation in African cohorts to identify risk markers and increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes in African populations.
Study context
- Population
- Black South African men and women, Middle-Aged Soweto Cohort (MASC); validation in Swedish EpiHealth cohort (normal glucose tolerance (NGT), n=1706; impaired fasting glucose, n=550; T2D, n=210)MASC · Black South African men 380 · women 375
- Participants
- 546 / 116 / 93
- Exposure
- NGT vs impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) vs T2D
- NGTn = 546reference
- IGMn = 116
- T2Dn = 93
- Outcome
- Circulating proteins associated with dysglycaemia (IGM or T2D), among 184 pre-selected protein biomarkers
Methodological detailstargeted proteomics, external validation cohort
- Targeted proteomics
- External validation cohort
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Proteins associated with dysglycaemia in MASC
73
Validated in EpiHealth cohort
34
Validated proteins associated with measures of insulin dynamics (most with HOMA-IR)
11
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
IGFBP2 and HOMA-IR, by sex
- Women: coefficient
- −0.35 (95% CI −0.44, −0.25)
- Men: coefficient
- −0.09 (95% CI −0.15, −0.03)
- Sex-specific analysis
TIMP4 and insulin secretion and beta cell function, women only
- Insulin secretion: coefficient
- 0.05 (95% CI 0.001, 0.11; p for interaction=0.025)
- Beta cell function: coefficient
- 0.06 (95% CI 0.02, 0.09; p for interaction=0.013)
- Not mediated by adiposity
IGFBP2 and OGTT insulin sensitivity, men
- Coefficient
- 0.38 (95% CI 0.27, 0.49; p for interaction=0.004)
Mediation by fat mass index of IGFBP2 associations, men
- Insulin sensitivity: total effect mediated
- 40.7% (95% CI 37.0, 43.6)
- HOMA-IR: total effect mediated
- 39.1% (95% CI 31.1, 43.5)
- A posteriori analysis
Original publication
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