Low adiponectin, high levels of apoptosis and increased peripheral blood neutrophil activity in healthy obese subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Growing evidence supports a link between obesity and inflammation. Current research is focused on the role of adipokines such as adiponectin and immune cells, especially macrophages, in adipose tissue. Our aim was to examine the role of inflammation not in tissue but in the peripheral blood of healthy overweight and obese subjects. We especially investigated the role of neutrophils and their possible regulation by adiponectin.


METHODS
In healthy normal-weight, overweight, and obese human subjects (n = 32) the peripheral blood concentrations of adipokines, satiety hormones, apoptosis markers, and cytokines as well as the blood count were related to inflammation and neutrophils, at 3 independent days of examination. The response of neutrophils to stimulation by adiponectin was also investigated in vitro.


RESULTS
In obese and by tendency already in overweight subjects, inflammation was increased showing a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, increased chemokines (CXCL8, CCL3, CCL5), increased apoptosis markers (M30 and M65), and changes in hormone levels in the peripheral blood. LPS- and fMLP-induced production of CXCL8 by neutrophils was elevated in overweight and obese subjects. High plasma levels of adiponectin were associated with reduced CXCL8 production in peripheral blood neutrophils. In vitro, production of CXCL8 by neutrophils was inhibited by adiponectin.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced adiponectin and enhanced apoptosis may occur already in the peripheral blood of healthy overweight subjects. This process seems to further enhance neutrophil activity in overweight and obese.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. sokratis.trellakis@uk-essen.de
Sokratis
S
Trellakis
Alena
A
Rydleuskaya
Cornelia
C
Fischer
Ali
A
Canbay
Sefik
S
Tagay
André
A
Scherag
Kirsten
K
Bruderek
Patrick J
PJ
Schuler
Sven
S
Brandau
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
D052242:Adiponectin; D018925:Chemokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein