Serum Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer concentrations are associated with incidence of type 2 diabetes

Abstract Purpose Serum Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) concentrations are known to be an indicator of chronic liver injury and fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum M2BPGi concentrations and the development of type 2 diabetes in a Japanese community. Methods A total of 2,143 community-dwelling Japanese individuals aged 40–79 years without diabetes at baseline were followed up for 7 years. Serum M2BPGi concentrations were divided into quintiles: Q1, ≤ 0.37 cutoff index (COI); Q2, 0.38–0.49 COI; Q3, 0.50–0.62 COI; Q4, 0.62–0.80 COI; and Q5, ≥ 0.81 COI. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the development of type 2 diabetes. Results During the follow-up period, 219 individuals developed type 2 diabetes. The age- and sex-adjusted cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes significantly increased with elevating serum M2BPGi levels (p for trend < 0.01). This association remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (p for trend = 0.04). This significant association attenuated to a non-significant level after additionally adjusting for serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein or homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Conclusion The present study demonstrated that higher serum M2BPGi concentrations were significantly associated with higher risk of diabetes in a Japanese community. Moreover, inflammation and insulin resistance were suggested to contribute to the excess risk of diabetes in individuals with higher serum M2BPGi levels. These findings shed light on the importance of inflammation and insulin resistance when considering the pathogenesis of diabetes.