title: Increased activity of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 proinflammatory axis in obese women.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Diseases of Metabolism, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 13, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumarac-Dumanovic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stevanovic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ljubic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jorga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stamenkovic-Pejkovic
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Starcevic
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trajkovic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Micic
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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