Inflammatory Markers in Obese Adolescents with Type 2 Diabetes and Their Relationship to Hepatokines and Adipokines.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze inflammatory markers, adipokines, and hepatokines in obese adolescents with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

STUDY DESIGN

We studied high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-1β, and interferon-γ, the hepatokines (fetuin-A and fibroblast growth factor [FGF]-21), and the adipokines (adiponectin and leptin) in a cross-sectional study of 74 predominately Caucasian adolescents with T2DM aged 12-18 years and in 74 body mass index (BMI)-, age-, and sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

Adolescents with T2DM had significantly higher concentrations of hsCRP, TNF-α, and interleukin-1β compared with obese controls without T2DM. Interferon-γ was not detectable in obese adolescents with or without T2DM. In multiple linear regression analysis, hsCRP was significantly associated with FGF-21 and BMI, but not with hemoglobin A1c, adiponectin, leptin, fetuin-A, sex, or age. TNF-α was significantly related negatively to leptin, positively to BMI, but not to hemoglobin A1c, adiponectin, fetuin-A, FGF-21 sex, or age in multiple linear regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased inflammatory markers are associated with T2DM in adolescents. Because hsCRP was related to FGF-21 and TNF-α was associated with leptin, these findings suggest a link between increased levels of these adipokines and hepatokines and chronic inflammation. Future longitudinal studies in humans are necessary to confirm these hypotheses.