Serum adiposity-induced biomarkers in obese and lean children with recently diagnosed autoimmune type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Background/objective: Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetic complications in type 1 diabetes. Adipokines, which regulate obesity-induced inflammation, may contribute to this association. We compared serum adipokines and inflammatory cytokines in obese and lean children with new-onset autoimmune type 1 diabetes.

Subjects and methods: We prospectively studied 32 lean and 18 obese children (age range: 2-18 yr) with new-onset autoimmune type 1 diabetes and followed them for up to 2 yr. Serum adipokines [leptin, total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin, omentin, resistin, chemerin, visfatin], cytokines [interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha] and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at a median of 7 wk after diagnosis (range: 3-16 wk).

Results: Lean children were 71.9% non-Hispanic White, 21.9% Hispanic, and 6.3% African-American, compared with 27.8, 55.6, and 16.7%, respectively, for obese children (p = 0.01). Compared with lean children, obese children had significantly higher serum leptin, visfatin, chemerin, TNF-alpha and CRP, and lower total adiponectin and omentin after adjustment for race/ethnicity and Tanner stage. African-American race was independently associated with higher leptin among youth ≥10 yr (p = 0.007). Leptin levels at onset positively correlated with hemoglobin A1c after 1-2 yr (p = 0.0001) independently of body mass index, race/ethnicity, and diabetes duration. Higher TNF-alpha was associated with obesity and female gender, after adjustment for race/ethnicity (p = 0.0003).

Conclusion: Obese children with new-onset autoimmune type 1 diabetes have a proinflammatory profile of circulating adipokines and cytokines that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetic complications.

Keywords: IFN-gamma; IL-10; IL-12; IL-6; IL-8; TNF-alpha; adipokine; adiponectin; chemerin; children; cytokines; leptin; obesity; omentin; resistin; type 1 diabetes; visfatin.

Fig. 1

Serum leptin concentrations in the new-onset period and HbA1c (%) between 1 and 2 yr after diagnosis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes in children (n = 41, p = 0.001, r = 0.23).