Research progress on thrombospondin 1 in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism

Thrombospondin-1(TSP-1) is a secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein, with multiple functional domains which can bind to different protein or receptors including transforming growth factor-β, CD36, CD47, and integrins. TSP-1 plays a role in cellular adhesion, angiogenesis, cell migration, and platelet accumulation. TSP-1 can be synthesized by various cells, such as platelets, vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, adipocytes, fibroblasts, hepatic stellate cells, keratinocytes, etc.Recently, some studies have revealed that TSP-1 isinvolved in cancer and metabolism regulation. What’s more, TSP-1 also has effects on lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).