Obesity Research & Clinical Practice
Original ArticleRelationship between plasma adropin levels and body composition and lipid characteristics amongst young adolescents in Taiwan
Introduction
The secreted peptide adropin is a 76 amino acid peptide hormone with a molecular weight of 4999.9 Da which is a product of the Energy Homeostasis Associated (Enho) Gene mainly synthesised in the liver and brain. Adropine may be associated with energy homeostasis, glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity in humans [1], [2], [3], [4]. More interestingly, recently reviews indicated that plasma adropin may play a certain role in cardiovascular disease and central nervous system disorders [5], [6], [7].
Adropin was identified during an investigation on obese insulin resistant mice as a novel factor linking signals of nutrient intake with metabolic homeostasis [3]. The analysis of adropin regulation and action in mouse models suggested that it involved in metabolic homeostasis. A role for adropin in metabolic homeostasis is supported by the observation that therapy using synthetic peptide or transgenic over-expression improves glucose homeostasis, fatty liver, and dyslipidemia amongst those subjects [3]. The presence of adropin in the central nervous system suggests an additional role as a neuropeptide; it is possible that adropin also has autocrine/paracrine roles [6].
In animal studies, the results have been contradicting in determining an association between adropin deficiency and increased in adiposity in mice [8]. However, other study demonstrated that intraperitoneal administration of adropin for 10 days may decrease serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-C levels in hyperlipidemia rats. It is also with a significant reduction in blood glucose, serum insulin levels and HOMA-IR [9].
Amongst childhood, the roles of adropin levels on childhood obesity and lipid metabolism are inconsistent. One study demonstrated that serum adropin levels were lower in obese children [4]. However, other studies demonstrated there is no association between plasma adropin level, obesity, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance on normal and obese children [10]. The serum adropin levels were significantly lower in obese adolescent with fatty liver disease when compared to those without fatty liver disease or normal weight controls [11].
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between plasma adropin levels and body composition amongst adolescents that will further analyse the role of plasma adropin in relation to the development of obesity amongst adolescents.
Section snippets
Study design and sampling method
The Taitung Children Heart Study was conducted in Taitung County, Taiwan. This area encompasses approximately 3515 km2 and has a 13–15 year-old student population of 8000. This study was a cross-sectional study from April 2013 to March 2014 investigating the prevalence and trend of obesity, hypertension, and their relationship with hyperleptinemia and leptin resistance amongst adolescents in Taitung. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Taoyuan General Hospital
Results
Table 1 shows the anthropometric and lipid characteristics of the study population separated by gender. When compared to the females, the males had a higher mean body weight, but lower percentage of fat mass. There was no difference in plasma adropin levels between males and females (3.52 vs. 3.58 ng/ml).
Plasma adropin levels were determined to be high or low using a cut-off plasma adropin level of 3.5 ng/ml. The prevalence of high adropin level in this study population is shown in Table 2. The
Discussion
In this study, we found that plasma adropin levels might be associated with body composition amongst Taiwanese young adolescents. There was a positive association between plasma adropin and body fat, while plasma adropin and fat free mass are negatively associated. There is no difference in lipid profiles in high vs. low adropin subjects and no association between plasma adropin and lipid variables amongst Taiwanese adolescents. However, the role of adropin in energy homeostasis and lipid
Acknowledgment
This study supported by the Tri-Service General Hospital (Grant TSGH-C103-143) is gratefully acknowledgement.
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