Impact of child obesity on adipose tissue physiology: assessment of adipocytokines and inflammatory cytokines as biomarkers of obesity

Abstract

Obesity could be interpreted as a low grade inflammatory state. The role of cytokines for innate and acquired immune response and adipocytokines in pathogenesis of obesity is not completely understood. The aim of the study was to evaluate anthropometric parameters, adipocytokines and inflammatory cytokine levels as biomarkers of childhood obesity. This investigation was designed as a longitudinal observational study. Forty-seven obese children (19 males and 28 females) were enrolled by Pediatric Clinic of the Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy. For each patients a blood sample, used for other biochemical evaluations, was collected. Cytokines and adipocytokines plasmatic levels were determined using an ELISA method. Plasma leptin levels are in correlation with age (r=0.5; P<0.001) and BMI-z score (r=0.36; P<0.001), particularly in girls; plasma resistin levels are in inverse correlation with age, particularly in boys (r=-0.67; P<0.001) and in correlation with BMI-z score (r=0.52; P=0.002). Plasma leptin and resistin levels show a good correlation with antrophometric parameters of child obesity (sex and BMI z score). This study suggests that leptin and resistin can be considered as biomarker of childhood obesity and its comorbility. We observed a statistically significant correlation between plasma leptin and resistin levels and antrophometric parameters of child obesity (sex and BMI z score). This study suggests that adipocytokines, such as leptin and resistin, can be considered as biomarkers of childhood obesity.

Keywords: BMI z-score.; adipocytokines; inflammatory cytokines; obesity.

Figure 1

Correlation between plasma leptin levels and age (months) or BMI z score. In all patients and particularly in girls leptin levels are in correlation with age (respectively, r=0.30 and r=0.5) and BMI z score (respectively, r=0.31 and 0.35).

Figure 2

Correlation between plasma resistin levels and age (months) or BMI z score. In all patients plasma resistin levels are in correlation with age (r=0.42) and BMI z score (r=0.52); in boys resistin levels are in stronger correlation with age (r = −0.67) and BMI z score (r=0.8).