Maternal inheritance of circulating irisin in humans

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Diseases

Background:

• Irisin, a myokine, is a potential therapeutic target for obesity-related diseases.
• The heritability of irisin levels remains unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the heritability of irisin.
• To identify factors predicting irisin levels in families.

Main Methods:

• A study of 120 families (n=254) from the Riyadh Biomarkers Research Program.
• Measurement of irisin via ELISA, alongside anthropometric, glycaemic, lipid, and adipocytokine profiles.
• Heritability analysis between mothers and offspring (sons and daughters).

Main Results:

• Irisin demonstrated significant maternal heritability in both sons (P=1.6×10(-5)) and daughters (P<0.002).
• In adults, HDL-cholesterol was the primary predictor of irisin levels (17% variance).
• In children, Angiotensin II was the primary predictor of irisin levels (19% variance, P=0.003).

Conclusions:

• Circulating irisin levels exhibit significant maternal inheritance.
• Irisin levels are influenced by HDL-cholesterol in adults and Angiotensin II in children, linking irisin to energy expenditure and regulation.
• Irisin plays a significant role in energy-generating processes.