July - September 2021, Volume 17, Issue 3

Guler A, Calan M

Increased Urocortin-2 Levels are Associated with Insulin Resistance in Subjects with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Acta Endo (Buc) 2021, 17 (3): 304-311
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2021.304

Aims. Urocortin-2 (UCN2) is a newly identified secreted peptide hormone which involves in insulin signaling pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the altered levels of UCN2 in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (nT2DM) compared to the subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and to discover a possible link between UCN2 levels and insulin resistance as well as other metabolic parameters. Methods. A number of 60 nT2DM patients and 60 age, body mass index (BMI)- and gender-matched subjects having NGT were enrolled into this case-control study. UCN2 concentration was measured using ELISA. Metabolic parameters of subjects were also determined. Results. UCN2 levels were significantly elevated in subjects with nT2DM comparing to controls. UCN2 levels showed a positive correlation with FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1C and 2-h plasma glucose only in nT2DM group. UCN2 also displayed positive correlation with BMI and waist circumference in both groups. Linear regression analyses revealed that UCN2 levels were independently associated with insulin resistance. The subjects having the highest levels of UCN2 had the highest possibility of having T2DM compared to the subjects having the lowest levels of UCN2. Conclusions. Increased levels of UCN2 may contribute to insulin resistance development in T2DM.

Keywords: Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus, Urocortin-2, Insulin resistance, Body mass index, Inflammation.

Correspondence: Mehmet Calan MD, Izmir Bozyaka Education and Research Hospital, Endocrinology, Sami cikrikci street, Bozyaka/ Izmir, 5170, Turkey, E-mail: drmehmetcalan@gmail.com