The Role of Circulating Slit2, the One of the Newly Batokines, in Human Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Slit2 is a new secreted protein from adipose tissue that improves glucose hemostasis in mice; however, there is no study about the serum levels and precise role of Slit2 in human. The aim of this study is to explore the serum level of Slit2 in human, and to identify the role of Slit2 in diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: The participants of this study consist of 38 subjects with newly diagnosed DM, and 75 healthy subjects as a control group. Serum Slit2 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Relationship between circulating Slit2 and diabetic related factors was investigated in diabetic group compared with non-diabetic group. Additionally, the correlations between the se-rum level of Slit2 and diverse metabolic parameters were analyzed. Results: Circulating Slit2 level was more decreased in diabetic group than in control group, but there was no significant difference statistically. Interestingly, serum levels of Slit2 were significantly negatively correlated to the serum concentrations of fasting glu-cose (coefficient r=-0.246, P=0.008), the serum concentrations of postprandial glucose (coefficient r=-0.233, P=0.017), and gly-cosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c; coefficient r=-0.357, P