Liver Stiffness Is Associated With Progression of Albuminuria in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: Nonalcoholic Fatty Disease Cohort Study

The Mechanism Underlying the Hypoglycemic Effect of Epimedin C on Mice with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Based on Proteomic Analysis

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a worldwide public health problem. Epimedin C is considered one of the most important flavonoids in Epimedium, a famous edible herb in China and Southeast Asia that is traditionally used in herbal medicine to treat diabetes. In the present study, the therapeutic potential of epimedin C against T2DM was ascertained using a mouse model, and the mechanism underlying the hypoglycemic activity of epimedin C was explored using a label-free proteomic technique for the first time. Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and oral glucose tolerance, as well as contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the 30 mg·kg-1 epimedin C group (EC30 group), were significantly lower than those in the model control group (MC group) (p < 0.05), while the contents of hepatic glycogen, insulin, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the EC30 group were notably higher than those in the MC group (p < 0.05). The structures of liver cells and tissues were greatly destroyed in the MC group, whereas the structures of cells and tissues were basically complete in the EC30 group, which were similar to those in the normal control group (NC group). A total of 92 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were enriched in the gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. In the EC30 vs. MC groups, the expression level of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pck1) was down-regulated, while the expression levels of group XIIB secretory phospholipase A2-like protein (Pla2g12b), apolipoprotein B-100 (Apob), and cytochrome P450 4A14 (Cyp4a14) were up-regulated. According to the KEGG pathway assay, Pck1 participated in the gluconeogenesis and insulin signaling pathways, and Pla2g12b, Apob, and Cyp4a14 were the key proteins in the fat digestion and fatty acid degradation pathways. Pck1, Pla2g12b, Apob, and Cyp4a14 seemed to play important roles in the prevention and treatment of T2DM. In summary, epimedin C inhibited Pck1 expression to maintain FBG at a relatively stable level, promoted Pla2g12b, Apob, and Cyp4a14 expressions to alleviate liver lipotoxicity, and protected liver tissues and cells from oxidant stress possibly by its phenolic hydroxyl groups.

Ultrasound-Based Hepatic Elastography in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Focus on Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease and is the hepatic expression of metabolic syndrome. The development of non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis and advanced fibrosis in high-risk patients, especially those with type 2 diabetes mellitus, is highly needed to replace the invasive method of liver biopsy. Elastographic methods can bring significant added value to screening and diagnostic procedures for NAFLD in patients with diabetes, thus contributing to improved NAFLD management. Pharmacological development and forthcoming therapeutic measures that address NAFLD should also be based on new, non-invasive, and reliable tools that assess NAFLD in at-risk patients and be able to properly guide treatment in individuals with both diabetes and NAFLD. This is the first review aiming to outline and discuss recent studies on ultrasound-based hepatic elastography, focusing on NAFLD assessment in patients with diabetes.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes - An Update

The global prevalence of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising, along with the epidemic of diabesity. NAFLD is present in >70% of individuals with type 2 diabetes. Although the mutually detrimental relationship between NAFLD and type 2 diabetes has been well established, a multitude of recent studies have further shown that type 2 diabetes is closely linked to the development of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver‐related morbidity and mortality. In contrast, NAFLD also negatively impacts type 2 diabetes both in terms of its incidence and related adverse clinical outcomes, including cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases. In response to these global health threats, clinical care pathways for NAFLD and guidelines for metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease have been developed. Several antidiabetic agents have been evaluated for their potential hepatic benefits with promising results. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes patients are increasingly represented in clinical trials of novel therapeutics for NAFLD. However, despite the wealth of knowledge in NAFLD and type 2 diabetes, lack of awareness of the disease and the potential weight of this problem remains a major challenge, especially among clinicians who are outside the field of hepatology and gastroenterology. This review therefore aimed to provide all diabetes care providers with a summary of the latest evidence that supports NAFLD as an emerging diabetic complication of increasing importance, and to present the current recommendations, focusing on the assessment and therapeutic strategies, on the management of NAFLD among type 2 diabetes patients.

Serum levels of mac-2 binding protein are associated with diabetic microangiopathy and macroangiopathy in people with type 2 diabetes

INTRODUCTION

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is reportedly associated with type 2 diabetes and progressive liver fibrosis, as evaluated by transient elastography, and has been linked with micro- and macroangiopathy in people with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between serum mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) levels and diabetic complications in people with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Serum M2BPGi levels were measured in terms of cut-off index (C.O.I.) units. Urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was calculated and nephropathy was graded as normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, or macroalbuminuria. Retinopathy was divided into three groups: no-diabetic retinopathy (NoDR), non-proliferative-diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), or proliferative-diabetic retinopathy (PDR) .

RESULTS

The mean age for the 363 studied subjects (212 males) was 66.4±10.6 years, the median serum M2BPGi level was 0.77 (0.57-1.04) C.O.I., and the median UAE was 22 (9-82.1) mg/g creatinine. M2BPGi levels in microalbuminuria (0.83 (0.61 to 1.18) C.O.I.) and macroalbuminuria (0.88 (0.67 to 1.22) C.O.I.) cases were higher than those in normoalbuminuria cases (0.71 (0.54 to 0.92) C.O.I.). M2BPGi levels in NPDR (0.93 (0.68 to 1.28) C.O.I.) and PDR (0.95 (0.71 to 1.31) C.O.I.) cases were higher than in cases with NoDR (0.73 (0.56 to 0.99) C.O.I.). Furthermore, M2BPGi levels in subjects with a history of cardiovascular diseases were higher than in those with no such history (0.82 (0.65 to 1.22) vs 0.76 (0.55 to 1.03) C.O.I., p=0.019). The logarithm of (M2BPGi+1) was associated with the logarithm of UAE values after adjusting for covariates (standardized β=0.107, p=0.031).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals a close association between serum M2BPGi levels and diabetic microangiopathy and macroangiopathy in people with type 2 diabetes. The results also show that liver fibrosis, evaluated by M2BPGi, is independently associated with an increased risk of albuminuria.