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Inflammatory cytokines in general and central obesity and modulating effects of physical activity

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posted on 2023-05-18, 11:40 authored by Schmidt, FM, Weschenfelder, J, Sander, C, Minkwitz, J, Thormann, J, Chittka, T, Mergl, R, Kenneth KirkbyKenneth Kirkby, Fasshauer, M, Stumvoll, M, Holdt, LM, Teupser, D, Hegerl, U, Himmerich, H

Context: Chronic systemic inflammation in obesity originates from local immune responses in visceral adipose tissue. However, assessment of a broad range of inflammation-mediating cytokines and their relationship to physical activity and adipometrics has scarcely been reported to date.

Objective: To characterize the profile of a broad range of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and the impact of physical activity and energy expenditure in individuals with general obesity, central obesity, and non-obese subjects.

Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional study comprising 117 obese patients (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30) and 83 non-obese community-based volunteers.

Main Outcomes Measures: Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured. Physical activity and energy expenditure (MET) were assessed with actigraphy. Adipometrics comprised BMI, weight, abdominal-, waist- and hip-circumference, waist to hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height-ratio (WHtR).

Results: General obesity was associated with significantly elevated levels of IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IFN-γ and TNF-α, central obesity with significantly elevated IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and IFN-γ-levels. In participants with general obesity, levels of IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 were significantly elevated in participants with low physical activity, even when controlled for BMI which was negatively associated with physical acitivity. Cytokines significantly correlated with adipometrics, particularly in obese participants.

Conclusions: Results confirm up-regulation of certain pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in obesity. In obese subjects, physical activity may lower levels and thus reduce pro-inflammatory effects of cytokines that may link obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.

History

Publication title

PLoS One

Volume

10

Article number

e0121971

Number

e0121971

Pagination

1-17

ISSN

1932-6203

Department/School

Tasmanian School of Medicine

Publisher

Public Library of Science

Place of publication

United States

Rights statement

Licensed under Creative Commons

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Clinical health not elsewhere classified

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