Sonic hedgehog N-terminal level correlates with adiponectin level and insulin resistance in adolescents

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles released by nearly all types of cells. They deliver different types of substances, including proteins and nucleic acids, to nearby or distant cells and play a role in the mediation of cell-to-cell communication. The aim of this study was to explore the association between EVs and insulin resistance in adolescents with obesity or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2).

The subjects were eight adolescents with DM2 (DM2 group; four males and four females; age: 18.1 ± 2.3 years), 18 adolescents with simple obesity (obesity group; 12 males and six females; age: 12.2 ± 3.4 years), and 20 controls (control group; 10 males and 10 females; age: 13.0 ± 1.4 years). As markers of EVs, serum CD9/CD63 and sonic hedgehog N-terminal (Shh-N) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The CD9/CD63 level in the control group was similar to that in the DM2 group, whereas the obesity group had a significantly higher CD9/CD63 level. In the entire study group, correlations were observed between serum Shh-N level and Homeostasis Model Assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score (r=0.371, p=0.0143), Homeostasis Model Assessment-β cell function score (r=0.382, p=0.0115), serum insulin level (r=0.350, p=0.0171), and serum adiponectin level (r=0.367, p=0.0122). Multiple regression analysis revealed that serum Shh-N level was the most significant risk factor for HOMA-IR score and serum insulin level.

Shh is correlated with insulin resistance via its association with adiponectin in adolescents.