High serum EDA concentration is associated with metabolic syndrome and its determinants

Background: Ectodysplasin A (EDA) is a novel hepatokine that plays a role in multiple metabolic-related diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum EDA levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: A total of 348 subjects, 258 patients with MetS and 90 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum EDA levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The correlation between EDA and various metabolic components was assessed.

Results: The serum EDA levels of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS) were significantly higher than those without [323.78 (259.68-400.74) vs. 254.82 (182.68-347.88) pg/mL, P < 0.001]. The serum EDA level increases with the increase in metabolic score. The linear regression model revealed that age, blood pressure, fasting insulin (FIns), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and HOMA-IR were independent factors influencing EDA levels. Furthermore, in the logistic regression model, subjects in the highest tertile of EDA had a significantly higher risk of MetS, higher blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and lower HDL-C compared to those in the lowest tertile. This conclusion remained valid after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.

Conclusions: The research results for the first time found that the circulating EDA levels in patients with metabolic syndrome were significantly elevated and associated with hypertension, hyperglycemia, lower HDL-C, and insulin resistance risk, indicating that EDA may play a role in the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and may be a potential therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome.