Review
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World J Diabetes. Jun 15, 2014; 5(3): 364-371
Published online Jun 15, 2014. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v5.i3.364
Adrenomedullin and diabetes
Hoi Kin Wong, Fai Tang, Tsang Tommy Cheung, Bernard Man Yung Cheung
Hoi Kin Wong, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Fai Tang, Department of Physiology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Tsang Tommy Cheung, Bernard Man Yung Cheung, Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Bernard Man Yung Cheung, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China
Author contributions: Wong HK and Cheung BMY designed the research and drafted the paper; Tang F and Cheung TT revised the paper.
Supported by The University of Hong Kong Seed Funding Program for Basic Research, No. 201111159132; and the Sun Chieh Yeh Heart Foundation
Correspondence to: Bernard Man Yung Cheung, PhD, FRCP, Professor of Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 102, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China. mycheung@hku.hk
Telephone: +852-2255-4347 Fax: +852-2818-6474
Received: September 25, 2013
Revised: April 10, 2014
Accepted: May 8, 2014
Published online: June 15, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a peptide hormone with vasorelaxing and hypotensive properties. It also plays multiple roles in the regulation of hormonal secretion, glucose metabolism and inflammatory response. A major observation is the elevation of plasma ADM level in diabetes, and is associated with diabetic complications in both type 1 and 2 diabetes. The increase could be resulted from oxidative stress, hyperinsulinemia and endothelial injury. This raises the potential application of ADM as a marker in diabetes, and strategies aimed at reducing ADM level could be explored so as to alleviate diabetic complications.