DPP-4 Levels Are Increased in Subjects with Poor Sleep Quality

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Health
• Sleep Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Sleep disturbances affect up to 30% of the population, often unrecognized and untreated.
• Elevated dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) levels have been observed after total sleep deprivation.
• Poor sleep quality can negatively impact overall health and may be associated with metabolic dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare serum dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) levels between healthy individuals with adequate sleep and those with poor sleep quality requiring medical attention.
• To investigate the potential of DPP-4 as a biomarker for sleep-related metabolic disturbances.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study included 57 healthy adults (18-70 years) with low cardiometabolic risk, excluding those with pre-existing conditions.
• Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to categorize participants.
• Serum DPP-4 levels were quantified using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Main Results:

• 66.6% of participants were overweight or obese, with high abdominal circumference values.
• Over half (56.1%) of the subjects were classified as having poor sleep quality (PSQI score 8.3 ± 4.1) warranting medical attention.
• Significantly higher serum DPP-4 levels were found in individuals with poor sleep quality (2385.0 ± 2082.0 pg/mL) compared to those with good sleep quality (1716.7 ± 1261.7 pg/mL) (P=0.035).

Conclusions:

• Elevated DPP-4 levels in individuals with poor sleep quality may serve as an early indicator of metabolic disorders.
• These findings underscore the need for further investigation into the relationship between sleep quality and metabolic health.
• Addressing sleep disturbances could be crucial for early detection and management of metabolic health issues.