Serum Glypican 4 Levels Are Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in a Han Population from Guizhou Province, China

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is the presence of a battery of cardiovascular risk factors including abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and disturbed carbohydrate metabolism[1]. MetS affects 20% of adults in the Western world and 33% of adults in China[2] and has become a serious public health problem worldwide. However, the mechanism underlying the occurrence and progression of MetS is still largely unclear. It is now well established that excess fat deposition leads to abdominal obesity, which plays a vital role in the underlying mechanism. Adipose tissue can function as an endocrine organ that secretes various adipokines. The dysregulated expression of adipokines caused by excess adiposity and adipocyte dysfunction, has been linked to the pathogenesis of MetS[3]. Some serum adipokines such as leptin, adiponectin, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), might be potential markers for MetS development.