Reduced irisin levels in patients with acromegaly

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Research

Background:

• Acromegaly is associated with metabolic disturbances, but the role of irisin is not well understood.
• Irisin, a myokine, influences energy metabolism and may be implicated in acromegaly pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate serum irisin levels in patients with acromegaly compared to healthy controls.
• To identify factors affecting serum irisin, including fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5) gene polymorphisms, in acromegaly.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional case-control study involving 46 acromegaly patients and 81 healthy controls.
• Serum irisin levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• Polymorphisms in three regions of the FNDC5 gene were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Patients with acromegaly exhibited significantly lower serum irisin levels compared to controls.
• Irisin levels did not correlate with growth hormone (GH) or insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).
• Somatostatin receptor ligand use was the sole independent factor associated with lower serum irisin levels.

Conclusions:

• Serum irisin levels are reduced in acromegaly patients treated with somatostatin receptor ligands.
• FNDC5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) do not independently influence circulating irisin levels under somatostatin therapy.
• Somatostatin action may regulate endocrine muscle functions, warranting further investigation.