Interleukin-20 circulating levels in obese women: effect of weight loss.
OBJECTIVE
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis. Interleukin-20 (IL-20) is a pleiotropic cytokine thought to be involved in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating levels of IL-20 are elevated in obese women and whether they could be affected by a substantial decrease in body weight.


RESULTS
Fifty obese and 50 age-matched, normal weight, premenopausal women participated in the study. Obese women entered into a medically supervised weight loss program aimed at reducing body weight to 90% of baseline. We measured anthropometric, glucose and lipid parameters, and IL-20, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) circulating levels. Circulating IL-20 and CRP levels were significantly higher in obese than control women (P=0.01), while IL-10 levels were significantly lower; IL-20 levels were positively associated with body weight (r=0.35; P=0.02) and visceral fat (waist-hip ratio; r=0.32; P=0.025). Caloric restriction-induced weight loss (>10% of original weight) over 6 months reduced IL-20 levels from 152 (112/184) to 134 (125/153)pg/ml (median and 25%/75%; P=0.03), and it was positively associated with changes in body mass index and waist-hip ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
In premenopausal obese women, IL-20 levels are higher than matched normal weight control women, are associated with body weight and waist-hip ratio, and are reduced by weight loss.
Maiorino
M I
MI
Department of Geriatrics and Metabolic Diseases, Division of Metabolic Diseases, Second University of Naples, Piazza L. Miraglia, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Schisano
B
B
Di Palo
C
C
Vietri
M T
MT
Cioffi
M
M
Giugliano
G
G
Giugliano
D
D
Esposito
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D017697:Premenopause; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007378:Interleukins; D014280:Triglycerides; D016753:Interleukin-10; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C422042:interleukin 20