Increased C-reactive protein and decreased Interleukin-2 content in serum from obese individuals with or without insulin resistance: Associations with leukocyte count and insulin and adiponectin content.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic inflammation in obesity is associated with co-morbidities such as, hyperglycemia, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Leukocytes play an important role in this inflammation and C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) can be important effectors during the immune response in obesity; however, the initial inflammatory events in obesity remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the circulating levels of CRP, IL-2, insulin and adiponectin, their association and the association with leukocyte count in obese individuals without co-morbidities and with or without insulin resistance (IR).


METHODS
Nineteen obese non-diabetic and 9 lean subjects were studied for serum levels of CRP, IL-2, insulin, adiponectin, lipids, glycated hemoglobin, glycemia, for homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), arterial pressure and anthropometric parameters, and for leukocyte counts. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) was calculated using the loge of leukocyte counts. Associations were determined by Pearson's correlation.


RESULTS
None of the studied groups presented co-morbidities and two groups of obese individuals with normal or high levels of insulin (IR) were found. Increased CRP concentration and decreased IL-2 and adiponectin concentrations in obese were observed. Positive correlation between leukocyte type counts with CRP in obese with IR was found; however, no correlations with IL-2 in obese were observed. Insulin in obese were positively correlated with CRP and negatively correlated with IL-2 in IR obese individuals. Adiponectin in obese was negatively correlated with CRP.


CONCLUSIONS
CRP and IL-2 may represent two important effectors in the early inflammatory events in obese individuals without co-morbidities. Adiponectin and insulin may be involved in anti-inflammatory events.
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Renata
R
Vargas
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Elena
E
Ryder
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
María
M
Diez-Ewald
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Electronic address: mosquera99ve@yahoo.com.
Jesús
J
Mosquera
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Anyelo
A
Durán
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Nereida
N
Valero
Cátedra de Inmunología. Escuela de Bionanalisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Adriana
A
Pedreañez
Cátedra de Genética, Escuela de Bionanalisis, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Caterina
C
Peña
Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas "Dr. Américo Negrette", Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Erika
E
Fernández
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D013851:Thinness / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D007328:Insulin; D007376:Interleukin-2; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Cytokines; Inflammation; Insulin; Obesity