Increased activity of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 proinflammatory axis in obese women.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the concentrations of cytokines belonging to Th17 axis (interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23) and Th1 axis (IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-gamma) in obese and lean women, and to investigate their relationships with the proinflammatory adipokine leptin, proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and anthropometric and metabolic parameters of obesity.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Twenty-six obese women (age 20-52 years, body mass index (BMI): 30-48 kg/m(2)) and 20 healthy lean women (age 23-46 years, BMI: 18-25 kg/m(2)).


METHODS
Plasma levels of cytokines and leptin, BMI, waist circumference (WC) and insulin resistance index HOMA (homeostatic model assessment).


RESULTS
Blood concentrations of IL-17, IL-23, MIF and leptin, but not IL-12 or IFN-gamma, were higher in obese compared with lean women (P=0.002, 0.046, 0.006 and 0.002, respectively). There was a positive correlation between IL-17 and IL-23 (r(s)=0.530), which was at the border of statistical significance (P=0.065). Neither IL-17 nor IL-23 correlated with leptin or MIF, and there was no association between IL-17 and IL-23 levels with BMI, WC or HOMA index.


CONCLUSIONS
Interleukin-23/IL-17 axis is stimulated in obese women independently of the increase in abdominal fat, insulin resistance, leptin and MIF levels.
Sumarac-Dumanovic
M
M
Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Diseases of Metabolism, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 13, Belgrade, Serbia.
Stevanovic
D
D
Ljubic
A
A
Jorga
J
J
Simic
M
M
Stamenkovic-Pejkovic
D
D
Starcevic
V
V
Trajkovic
V
V
Micic
D
D
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood*; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D020738:Leptin; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C515598:MIF protein, human