title: Serum hemorphin-7 levels are decreased in obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hemorphin peptides exhibit biological activities that interfere with the endorphin system, the inflammatory response, and blood-pressure control. VV-hemorphin-7 and LVV-hemorphin-7 peptides exert a hypotensive effect, in particular, by inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system. Furthermore, levels of circulating hemorphin-7 peptides have been found to be decreased in diseases such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Because type 2 diabetes and obesity share common features, such as insulin resistance, microinflammation, high glomerular-filtration rate (GFR), and cardiovascular risk, we evaluated serum VV-hemorphin-7 like immunoreactivity (VVH7-i.r.) levels, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, on a group of 54 obese subjects without diabetes or hypertension, compared with a group of 33 healthy normal-weight subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Circulating VVH7-i.r. levels were significantly decreased in the obese group compared with the control group (1.98 ± 0.19 vs. 4.86 ± 0.54 µmol/l, respectively, P < 0.01), and a significant negative correlation between VVH7-i.r. and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was found in obese patients (r = -0.35, P = 0.011). There was no significant correlation between VVH7-i.r. level and insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or GFR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decreased serum hemorphin-7 found in obese subjects, as in diabetes, may contribute to the development of hypertension and to the cardiovascular risk associated with these metabolic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, INRA, NORT UMR_1062, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maraninchi
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feron
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fruitier-Arnaudin
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bégu-Le Corroller
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valéro
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Piot
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vialettes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007328:Insulin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C085122:hemorphin 7; C074309:LVV-hemorphin-7; C094394:VV-hemorphin-7