Complement C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (C1QTNF1)

Complement C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (C1QTNF1 or CTRP1) is an approximately 35 kDa secreted protein that belongs to the C1q/TNF-related protein family. It contains a collagen-like region and a C1q-like domain, enabling trimerization and oligomerization. C1QTNF1 is involved in energy metabolism—including the regulation of fatty acid oxidation, insulin sensitivity, and glucose uptake—and plays important roles in the inflammatory response and cardiovascular homeostasis. Its expression and circulating levels are linked to obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. CTRP1 regulates both inflammatory cytokine production and vascular adhesion protein expression, and can also stimulate aldosterone synthesis. Current evidence strongly supports its potential as a therapeutic target and/or biomarker for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, although direct pharmacological interventions are not yet established and mechanistic understanding is still evolving[1][2][3].

Other names

CTRP1complement C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1C1QTNF1G protein-coupled receptor-interacting protein (GIP)ZSIG37UNQ310/PRO353FLJ90694

C1QTNF1 acts through activation of the AMPK signaling pathway; modulation of insulin signaling, improving insulin sensitivity via counteracting IRS-1 Ser1101 phosphorylation; induction or repression of inflammatory cytokine expression; upregulation of adhesion proteins on vascular endothelial cells; and regulation of aldosterone synthesis in the adrenal cortex.