Fig 2: The role of Metrnl in type 2 DM, type 1 DM, and GDM. This figure illustrates the role of Metrnl in type 2 DM, with a focus on its distinct effects on β-cell protection and insulin resistance, as well as its roles in type 1 DM and GDM. DM, diabetes mellitus; GDM, gestational diabetes mellitus

Fig 3: The structure of Metrnl protein. A. A schematic diagram of the domain organization of the Metrnl protein. B. The three-dimensional structure of Metrnl predicted by AlphaFold (AF-Q641Q3-F1). C. Ten high-risk missense SNP sites of Metrnl. Key amino acid residues are indicated. CUB, Complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, Bmp1 domain; NTR, Netrin-like domain

Fig 4: The role of Metrnl in diabetic complications: expression, function, and mechanisms. This figure summarizes the expression, function, and mechanisms of Metrnl in various diabetic complications, including diabetic cardiomyopathy, diabetes-associated atherosclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic foot ulcers

Fig 5: The mRNA expression profile of Metrnl across human tissues. Based on data from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project, this figure summarizes the mRNA expression levels of Metrnl in various human tissues. Tissues closely associated with diabetes or its complications are highlighted in red. nTPM, normalized Transcripts Per Million