ROLE OF ADIPONECTIN IN PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS

Adiponectin is a collagen-like protein that is solely secreted by adipocytes. Differentstudies showed that it plays an important role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance,diabetes and dyslipidemia and thus affects risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity. In thepresent study the role of adiponectin in pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus was evaluated.The current study was carried on 51 diabetic patients with documented NIDDM and 22 age andsex matched healthy controls. Diabetic patients were subdivided into 2 subgroups according toBMI where 40 were obese and 11 were non obese and according to the presence ofcardiovascular disease with obesity where 16 were obese with CVD and 24 were obese with noCVD. Controls were subdivided according to BMI where 7 were non obese and 15 were obese.The levels of plasma adiponectin, insulin, c-peptide, fasting blood glucose, glycatedhemoglobin, lipid profile, NO and lipid peroxides. The results of the present study showed thatadiponectin was significantly lower in all groups with variations compared to controls, in obesepatients with CVD than those without CVD. NO and MDA levels were higher in diabeticpatients than in controls and the highest levels of MDA were observed in patients withcardiovascular disease. Lipid profile was altered in diabetic patients showing higher levels thanin controls. In the diabetic patients, adiponectin was significantly positively correlated with NOand HDL, while it was significantly negatively correlated with glucose, HbA1C, Cholesterol, LDL, insulin and c-peptide. The ability of adiponectin to increase insulin sensitivity inconjunction with its anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties have made this noveladipocytokine a promising therapeutic tool for the future.