| First Author | Kurahashi K | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | J Atheroscler Thromb | Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 12 | Pages | 1215-1230 |
| PubMed ID | 28502917 | Mgi Jnum | J:306478 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6711329 | Doi | 10.5551/jat.37739 |
| Citation | Kurahashi K, et al. (2017) The Role of Heparin Cofactor in the Regulation of Insulin Sensitivity and Maintenance of Glucose Homeostasis in Humans and Mice. J Atheroscler Thromb 24(12):1215-1230 |
| abstractText | AIM: Accelerated thrombin action is associated with insulin resistance. It is known that upon activation by binding to dermatan sulfate proteoglycans, heparin cofactor (HC) inactivates thrombin in tissues. Because HC may be involved in glucose metabolism, we investigated the relationship between plasma HC activity and insulin resistance. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a clinical study, statistical analysis was performed to examine the relationships between plasma HC activity, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in elderly Japanese individuals with lifestyle-related diseases. Multiple regression analysis showed significant inverse relationships between plasma HC activity and HbA1c (p=0.014), FPG (p=0.007), and HOMA-IR (p= 0.041) in elderly Japanese subjects. In an animal study, HC(/) mice and HC(/-) mice were fed with a normal diet or high-fat diet (HFD) until 25 weeks of age. HFD-fed HC(/-) mice exhibited larger adipocyte size, higher FPG level, hyperinsulinemia, compared to HFD-fed HC(/) mice. In addition, HFD-fed HC(/-) mice exhibited augmented expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor, and impaired phosphorylation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase in adipose tissue compared to HFD-fed HC(/) mice. The expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucose-6-phosphatase was also enhanced in the hepatic tissues of HFD-fed HC(/-) mice. CONCLUSIONS: The present studies provide evidence to support the idea that HC plays an important role in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis by regulating insulin sensitivity in both humans and mice. Stimulators of HC production may serve as novel therapeutic tools for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. |
