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Updated: Sep 19, 2025
Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
Published on: June 26, 2018
Cytokine concentration in peripheral blood of patients with childhood obesity
Jia Mai1, Min Wang1, Ying Guo1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Insights
Childhood obesity involves chronic inflammation. This study found significant differences in Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels between obese and healthy children, highlighting IL-6
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Obesity is characterized by chronic inflammation and altered cytokine profiles.
- Systematic investigations into specific cytokine level changes in childhood obesity are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare peripheral blood cytokine concentrations in healthy children versus obese children.
- To identify specific cytokines involved in the inflammatory response associated with childhood obesity.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 48 inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood from 5 healthy and 5 obese children using Bio-Plex assay.
- Validated findings for specific cytokines (MIP-1b, PDGF-BB, IP-10, IL-6, IL-9, TNF-β) in a larger cohort (44 healthy, 44 obese children).
- Utilized diet-induced obese (DIO) mice to assess cytokine expression differences.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 beta (MIP-1b) and Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels were observed between healthy and obese children.
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) showed a significant concentration difference, indicating a key role in obesity-related inflammation.
- Trends of difference were noted for IP-10, IL-9, and TNF-β, while no significant differences were found in DIO mice for MIP-1b and PDGF-BB.
Conclusions:
- Childhood obesity is associated with distinct peripheral blood cytokine profiles.
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a significant role in the inflammatory processes of childhood obesity.
- Further research into cytokine roles is crucial for developing novel obesity prevention and treatment strategies.
Introduction:
Obesity is marked by chronic inflammation, with research showing notable changes in cytokines. However, systematic investigations into cytokine level changes are still lacking. This study compared the concentrations of various cytokines in the peripheral blood of healthy controls and obese children.
Methods:
Peripheral blood samples from test cohort including 5 healthy children and 5 obesity children were used to evaluate concentration levels of 48 inflammatory cytokines by Bio-Plex assay. Diet-induced obese (DIO) mice used to assess whether there were significant differences in the expression of MIP-1b, PDGF-BB. Peripheral blood samples from validation cohort including 44 healthy children and 44 obesity children were used to evaluate concentration levels of MIP-1b, PDGF-BB, IP-10, IL-6, IL-9 and TNF-β.
Results:
In the Bio-Plex assay, there were significant differences in MIP-1b and PDGF-BB levels between healthy and obesity children. Additionally, IP-10, IL-6, IL-9, and TNF-β exhibited a trend of difference between the two groups. However, no significant differences in MIP-1b and PDGF-BB levels were observed between control and DIO mice. Notably, we found that IL-6 exhibited a significant concentration difference between the serum of healthy and obesity children, suggesting the IL-6 may play a key role in the inflammatory response associated with obesity.
Discussion:
In summary, our study emphasizes the importance of IL-6 and other cytokines in childhood obesity research and suggests that future investigations should further explore the specific roles of these cytokines in the pathophysiological states associated with obesity, aiming to provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
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