Abstract
Osteoprotegerin (OPG), a glycoprotein traditionally implicated in bone remodelling, has been recently related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Human studies show a positive relationship between circulating OPG, vascular damage, and CVD, and as such OPG has emerged as a potential biomarker for CVD. This review focuses on the relationship between circulating OPG and different endocrine cardiometabolic alterations such as type 1 and 2 diabetes. The association of OPG with diabetic complications (neuropathy, nephropathy, or retinopathy) as well as with atherosclerosis, coronary artery calcification, morbidity, and mortality is pointed out. Moreover, OPG modulation by different treatments is also established. Besides, other associated diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome, which are known cardiovascular risk factors, are also considered.
Highlights
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was first identified in 1997 simultaneously by two different research groups
Serum OPG levels were significantly lower in patients with type 1 DM compared to normal controls whereas RANKL levels were similar in both groups [30]
Even after the exclusion of diabetic patients with a history of micro- or macrovascular disease, OPG levels remained significantly higher in diabetes [42] and in poorly controlled diabetic patients, serum OPG levels are higher than in well-controlled diabetic patients [46]
Summary
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) was first identified in 1997 simultaneously by two different research groups. Simonet et al (1997) [1] were involved in a foetal rat intestine complementary deoxyribonucleic acid- (cDNA-) sequencing project when they discovered a new possible member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. It was named OPG because of its protective effects in bone (Latin: “os” bone and “protegere” to protect). Another research group, Tsuda et al [2], found a novel binding protein with no homology to known proteins in the conditioned medium of human embryonic lung fibroblasts which inhibited osteoclastogenesis They termed this protein osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OCIF).
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