High plasma levels of angiopoietin-like protein 8 and cardiovascular events in patients undergoing coronary angiography

Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8), also called betatrophin, is a recently identified adipokine, mainly produced in the liver and adipose tissue [ [1] Zhang R R. Abou-Samra A.B. A dual role of lipasin (betatrophin) in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis: consensus and controversy. Cardiovasc. Diabetol. 2014; 13: 133 Crossref PubMed Scopus (82) Google Scholar ]. We read with interest the article in Atherosclerosis by Leiherer et al. [ [2] Leiherer A. Ebner J. Muendlein A. Brandtner E.M. Zach C. et al. High betatrophin in coronary patients protects from cardiovascular events. Atherosclerosis. 2020; 293: 62-68 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (15) Google Scholar ], which reported that serum ANGPTL8 levels did not differ between patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD) and were inversely associated with cardiovascular events in patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, we previously reported high plasma ANGPTL8 levels in patients with CAD [ [3] Niki H. Kishimoto Y. Ibe S. Saita E. Sasaki K. et al. Associations between plasma betatrophin levels and coronary and peripheral artery disease. J. Atherosclerosis Thromb. 2019; 26: 573-581 Crossref PubMed Scopus (14) Google Scholar ]. Therefore, we studied the prognostic value of ANGPTL8 levels in Japanese patients undergoing coronary angiography.