In STZ‐induced diabetic mice, Apelin overexpression increases SIRT3 expression in mouse endothelial progenitor cells, improves vascular endothelial cell function, increases angiogenesis, and improves cardiac function in DCM, whereas these protections are lost in SIRT3 KO mice, suggesting that Apelin's improvement of vascular endothelial cell function is dependent on the presence of SIRT3 [76]. Here, APLN is linked to familial dilated cardiomyopathy.