GlycA, a biomarker of inflammatory glycoproteins, is more closely related to the leptin/adiponectin ratio than to glucose tolerance status

Objectives: Plasma GlycA is a recently developed biomarker whose nuclear magnetic resonance signal originates from glycosylated acute-phase proteins. The aim of our study was to determine potential relationships between GlycA and adiposity, insulin resistance (HOMA(ir)), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), leptin, adiponectin, and the leptin/adiponectin ratio, and to test whether GlycA is elevated in subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Design and methods: Plasma GlycA, hs-CRP, leptin, adiponectin, the leptin/adiponectin ratio, and insulin resistance (HOMAir) were measured in 103 fasting subjects (30 with normal fasting glucose, 25 with IFG and 48 with T2DM). Results: In all subjects combined, plasma GlycA was correlated positively with body mass index (BMI), HOMA(ir), hs-CRP, leptin and the leptin/adiponectin ratio, and inversely with adiponectin (p Conclusions: High plasma GlycA reflects a pro-inflammatory state. Adipose tissue-associated inflammatory processes could contribute to increased circulating levels of glycosylated acute-phase proteins. (C) 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved