The novel adipokine sFRP5 is associated with hypertriglyceridemia but not with insulin resistance in humans

Recently we and others have identified a cytokine system being involved in low-grade inflammation of adipose tissue in human diabetic subjects. In that system, macrophages release pro-inflammatory wnt5a which interferes with fat cell insulin receptor signalling and inhibits adipogenesis both leading to insulin resistance. Adipocytes on the other site are able to protect themselves from wnt5a by secreting the soluble wnt5a receptor sFRP5. Within the last two years several independent groups measured sFRP5 serum levels in humans in order to examine whether serum sFRP5 levels are a suitable biomarker for low-grade…