The Wnt/β-catenin Signalling Pathway Inhibitor Sclerostin is a Biomarker for Early Atherosclerosis in Obesity

Title:The Wnt/β-catenin Signalling Pathway Inhibitor Sclerostin is a Biomarker for Early Atherosclerosis in Obesity

Volume: 14 Issue: 3

Author(s): Djordje S. Popovic*, Milena Mitrovic, Dragana Tomic-Naglic, Tijana Icin, Ivana Bajkin, Bojan Vukovic, Damir Benc, Zeljko Zivanovic, Branka Kovacev-Zavisic and Edita Stokic

Affiliation:

• Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Medical Faculty, University of Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 1, 21000 Novi Sad,Serbia

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, carotid artery intima media thickness, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, inflammatory parameters, obesity, risk factors, sclerostin, smoking.

Abstract: Background: Sclerostin is an inhibitor of the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site family/β-catenin signalling pathway (WβcSP), which plays an important role in bone metabolism and in vascular biology. It could act protective regarding atherosclerosis development through its effect on WβcSP in vascular cells. Nevertheless, results of studies analyzing association between circulating sclerostin level (CSL) and atherosclerotic diseases (AD) are showing conflicting results. The aim of this study is to test the value of CSL as a biomarker of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis (SCA) in obese persons.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included 50 obese persons without previous history of diabetes and AD. Participants underwent adequate anthropometrical, ultrasound and laboratory examinations, including 2h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Results: Only the presence of SCA significantly indirectly correlated with CSL (p<0.05). Based on the median value of CSL, we formed two groups: low CSL (CSL<7.9 pmol/l) and high CSL (CSL>7.9 pmol/l). There were no statistically significant differences in general (gender, age and current smoking) and anthropometrical characteristics (body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure), inflammatory (total white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein and uric acid), glucose metabolism (fasting and 2h OGTT blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and presence of dysglycemia) and lipid metabolism (low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein (a)) parameters between low and high CSL groups. Low CSL group had significantly higher incidence of SCA (p<0.05).

Conclusion: CSL could serve as a useful biomarker of early atherosclerosis in obese persons without previous history of cardiometabolic disorders but the final conclusion requires further testing.

Cite this article as:

Popovic S. Djordje *, Mitrovic Milena , Tomic-Naglic Dragana, Icin Tijana , Bajkin Ivana , Vukovic Bojan, Benc Damir , Zivanovic Zeljko , Kovacev-Zavisic Branka and Stokic Edita, The Wnt/β-catenin Signalling Pathway Inhibitor Sclerostin is a Biomarker for Early Atherosclerosis in Obesity, Current Neurovascular Research 2017; 14 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567202614666170619080526

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567202614666170619080526	Print ISSN 1567-2026
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-5739