Relationship between adiponectin, TNFα, and SHBG in prepubertal children with obesity

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels are low in adult subjects with obesity when compared to normal-weight individuals. Obesity is associated with higher tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) plasma levels and lower adiponectin levels. Moreover, we have recently elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which TNFα and adiponectin regulate hepatic SHBG production.

The main objective of this study was to assess if the adult associations between TNFα, adiponectin, and SHBG are present in prepubertal children.

We determined several morphometric and biochemical parameters in normal-weight (n=15) and obese prepubertal (n=51) children, as well as quantified plasma SHBG, TNFα receptor 1 (TNFα-R1), and adiponectin levels.

Our results showed that prepubertal children with obesity had decreased plasma SHBG levels compared to normal-weight controls (67 nmol/L vs 172 nmol/L). Importantly, SHBG plasma levels correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with TNFα (negatively, ßstd= - 0.31) and adiponectin (positively, ßstd= 0.58) suggesting an important role of these two cytokines in determining plasma SHBG levels in prepubertal children.

Our results suggest that plasma adiponectin levels may play a more important role than TNFα in influencing plasma SHBG levels in our prepubertal population with obesity.