Immunoglobulin G N-Glycosylation Signatures in Incident Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Journal article, 2022

OBJECTIVE N-glycosylation is a functional posttranslational modification of immunoglobulins (Igs). We hypothesized that specific IgG N-glycans are associated with incident type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed case-cohort studies within the population-based European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)–Potsdam cohort (2,127 in the type 2 diabetes subcohort [741 incident cases]; 2,175 in the CVD subcohort [417 myocardial infarction and stroke cases]). Relative abundances of 24 IgG N-glycan peaks (IgG-GPs) were measured by ultraperformance liquid chromatog-raphy, and eight glycosylation traits were derived based on structural similarity. End point–associated IgG-GPs were preselected with fractional polynomials, and prospective associations were estimated in confounder-adjusted Cox models. Diabetes risk associations were validated in three independent studies. RESULTS After adjustment for confounders and multiple testing correction, IgG-GP7, IgG-GP8, IgG-GP9, IgG-GP11, and IgG-GP19 were associated with type 2 diabetes risk. A score based on these IgG-GPs was associated with a higher diabetes risk in EPIC-Potsdam and independent validation studies (843 total cases, 3,149 total non-cases, pooled estimate per SD increase 1.50 [95% CI 1.37–1.64]). Associations of IgG-GPs with CVD risk differed between men and women. In women, IgG-GP9 was inversely associated with CVD risk (hazard ratio [HR] per SD 0.80 [95% CI 0.65–0.98]). In men, a weighted score based on IgG-GP19 and IgG-GP23 was associated with higher CVD risk (HR per SD 1.47 [95% CI 1.20–1.80]). In addition, several derived traits were associated with cardiometabolic disease incidence. CONCLUSIONS Selected IgG N-glycans are associated with cardiometabolic risk beyond classic risk factors, including clinical biomarkers.

Author

Anna Birukov

Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Harvard School of Public Health

Branimir Plavćsa

University of Zagreb

Fabian Eichelmann

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

Olga Kuxhaus

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

Rosangela Akemi Hoshi

Harvard Medical School

Najda Rudman

University of Zagreb

Tamara Stambuk

Genos

Irena Trbojevićc-Akmaćcićc

Genos

Catarina Schiborn

Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Jakub Morze

University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn

Harvard School of Public Health

Matea Mihelćcićc

Genos

Ana Cindrićc

Genos

Yanyan Liu

Harvard Medical School

Olga Demler

Harvard Medical School

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH)

Markus Perola

University of Helsinki

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Samia Mora

Harvard Medical School

Matthias B. Schulze

University of Potsdam

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)

Gordan Lauc

University of Zagreb

Genos

Clemens Wittenbecher

German Institute of Human Nutrition

Chalmers, Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science

Harvard School of Public Health

Diabetes Care

0149-5992 (ISSN) 19355548 (eISSN)

Vol. 45 11 2729-2736

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Endocrinology and Diabetes

General Practice

Nutrition and Dietetics

DOI

10.2337/dc22-0833

PubMed

36174116

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Latest update

7/7/2026 1