Ten of these 18 proteins (leptin, IGFBP1, IGFBP2, SHBG, growth hormone receptor (GHR), hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), galectin-3-binding protein (LG3BP), APOB and Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF-1)) were previously reported to be associated with T2D, reflecting the shared pathogenic pathways between the two entities [47, 48]. Here, MET is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.