Association between circulating CTRP12 levels and type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis

doi:10.4239/wjd.v17.i5.117237

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May 15, 2026 (publication date) through May 14, 2026

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World Journal of Diabetes

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1948-9358

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

Meta-Analysis

Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Diabetes. May 15, 2026; 17(5): 117237
Published online May 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v17.i5.117237

Association between circulating CTRP12 levels and type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis

Lei Chen, Cai-Bin Gao, Qiang Duan, Gang Shi, Qing-Sheng Niu

Lei Chen, Qiang Duan, Gang Shi, Department of Neurosurgery, The First People’s Hospital of Shizuishan, Shizuishan 753200, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Cai-Bin Gao, Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750001, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Qing-Sheng Niu, Department of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China

Author contributions: Chen L contributed to data visualization and interpretation; Chen L, Duan Q, and Shi G contributed to data extraction, methodological assessment, and manuscript refinement; Chen L and Gao CB assisted with literature retrieval, data verification, and organization; Niu QS conceptualized the study, conducted the statistical analyses, and prepared the initial manuscript draft, oversaw the research process, provided substantive revisions, and approved the final manuscript; and all authors reviewed and endorsed the final version.

Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia, No. 2023AAC03549.

AI contribution statement: AI tools (ChatGPT4) were used solely for linguistic refinement and formatting assistance. No AI tool was involved in study design, data analysis, result interpretation or core content generation.

Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.

PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.

Corresponding author: Qing-Sheng Niu, MD, PhD, Department of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. niu_qingsheng@163.com

Received: December 3, 2025
Revised: January 25, 2026
Accepted: March 4, 2026
Published online: May 15, 2026
Processing time: 160 Days and 7 Hours

Abstract

BACKGROUND

C1q/TNF-related protein 12 (CTRP12) is an important adipokine that plays a critical role in the regulation of energy metabolism and is considered to have potential protective effects in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

AIM

To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of published papers evaluating the association between CTRP12 levels and the risk of T2DM.

METHODS

A literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Chinese Science Journals Database, Wanfang, and SinoMed was conducted to identify studies published up to November 2025. Thirteen cohort studies met the inclusion criteria after stepwise screening. Given the substantial heterogeneity among studies, pooled estimates were derived using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were undertaken to explore potential sources of variability. Publication bias was assessed using Egger’s and Begg’s tests, along with funnel plot inspection.

RESULTS

The 13 studies included in the analysis involved 2193 participants including patients with T2DM and healthy controls. Meta-analysis demonstrated that circulating CTRP12 levels were significantly lower in patients with T2DM than those in healthy controls (Z = 6.96, P < 0.00001). Sensitivity analysis showed stable results, indicating robust pooled effects. Subgroup analysis suggested that heterogeneity primarily originated from participants’ body mass index and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Quality assessment showed that most included studies achieved relatively high Newcastle-Ottawa Scale scores, suggesting that the overall methodological quality was generally satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis demonstrated that circulating CTRP12 levels were significantly reduced in individuals with T2DM. This finding suggests that CTRP12 may exert protective effects in disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism.

Keywords: C1q/TNF-related protein 12; Type 2 diabetes; Glucose metabolism; Insulin resistance; Meta-analysis

Core Tip: C1q/TNF-related protein 12 (CTRP12) is an adipokine involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. However, existing evidence regarding its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has not yet been systematically integrated. This systematic review and meta-analysis, encompassing 13 studies with 2193 participants, evaluated circulating CTRP12 levels in patients with T2DM. Circulating CTRP12 levels were significantly reduced in individuals with T2DM. Body mass index and insulin resistance were identified as major contributors to heterogeneity. These findings suggest a potential protective role of CTRP12 in metabolic dysregulation and support its value as a biomarker in T2DM.