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Associations between serum apelin-12 levels and obesity-related markers in Chinese children
Hong-Jun Ba1, Hong-Shan Chen1, Zhe Su1
1Pediatric Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Insights
Obese Chinese girls show higher apelin-12 levels, linked to triglycerides and insulin resistance. This suggests apelin-12 may play a role in childhood obesity development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Syndrome Research
- Obesity Pathophysiology
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing global health concern.
- Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial for effective intervention.
- Apelin, a peptide hormone, has been implicated in metabolic regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between apelin-12 levels and obesity in Chinese children.
- To investigate associations between apelin-12 and key obesity-related metabolic markers.
- To explore potential sex-specific correlations.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 48 obese and 40 non-obese Chinese children.
- Measurements included apelin-12, body mass index (BMI), lipids, glucose, and insulin.
- Insulin resistance was assessed using the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR).
Main Results:
- Obese children exhibited significantly higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, insulin, and HOMA-IR compared to controls.
- Apelin-12 levels were significantly elevated in obese girls and positively correlated with triglycerides, insulin, and HOMA-IR.
- In boys, apelin-12 showed a positive association with fasting plasma glucose.
Conclusions:
- Elevated apelin-12 levels are observed in obese girls and are associated with metabolic dysfunction.
- These findings suggest a potential role for apelin-12 in the pathophysiology of childhood obesity.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms involved.
Objective:
To investigate possible correlations between apelin-12 levels and obesity in children in China and associations between apelin-12 and obesity-related markers, including lipids, insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR).
Methods:
Forty-eight obese and forty non-obese age- and gender-matched Chinese children were enrolled between June 2008 and June 2009. Mean age was 10.42 ± 2.03 and 10.86±2.23 years in obesity and control groups, respectively. Main outcome measures were apelin-12, BMI, lipids, glucose and insulin. HOMA-IR was calculated for all subjects.
Results:
All obesity group subjects had significantly higher total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin levels and HOMA-IR (all P<0.05). In separate analyses, obese girls had significantly higher LDL-C, insulin and HOMA-IR than controls, and obese boys had significantly higher TC, TG, insulin and HOMA-IR than controls (all P<0.05). Apelin-12 levels were significantly higher in obese girls compared to controls (P = 0.024), and correlated positively with TG in all obese subjects. Among obese girls, apelin-12 levels correlated positively with TG, insulin and HOMA-IR after adjusting for age and BMI. In all boys (obese and controls) apelin-12 was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG). No significant correlations were found in either group between apelin-12 levels and other characteristics after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI.
Conclusions:
Apelin-12 levels are significantly higher in obese vs. non-obese girls in China and correlate significantly with obesity-related markers insulin, HOMA-IR, and TG. Increased apelin-12 levels may be involved in the pathological mechanism of childhood obesity.
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