Influence of obesity on circulating irisin levels: results of a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Human & veterinary medicine Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 127 - 132
• Main Authors: Muresan, Andrada A, Rusu, Adriana, Hancu, Nicolae, Vonica, Camelia L, Roman, Gabriela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cluj-Napoca Bioflux SRL 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Adiponectin; Adipose tissue; Blood glucose; Body composition; Body fat; Body mass index; Body weight; Cross-sectional studies; Diabetes; Inflammation; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Lipids; Metabolism; Mitochondria; Musculoskeletal system; Normal distribution; Obesity; Pharmacy; Regression analysis; Statistical analysis; Variables; Womens health; South Korea; Romania
• ISSN: 2066-7655; 2066-7663

Objective: Evidence for the role of irisin, a newly discovered molecule, in insulin resistance and inflammation, is limited and controversial, and the pathways between them remain unknown. The objective of this research was to assess whether irisin levels are associated with total adiposity, subclinical inflammation, insulin resistance, and adiponectin levels in women with and without obesity. Material and methods: 42 adult women with normal body weight (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) or obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The body composition analysis was performed by bioelectric impedance using an InBody 720 device (Biospace Co., South Korea). Fasting blood samples were collected to assess insulinemia, hsCRP, irisin and adiponectin levels. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculated as fasting insulin x fasting glycemia/405.Results Participants with obesity had significantly higher irisin levels as compared to those with normal BMI (21017.7 vs. 383.8357.3 ng/ml, p <0.001). In the univariate linear regression serum irisin was significantly associated with body adiposity (β=0.765, p-value <0.001), trunk fat (β=0.788; p-value <0.001) and limb fat (β=0.729; p-value <0.001). Irisin was also associated with hsCRP levels (β=0.378, p-value=0.002) independent of body fat mass and age. Although in the unadjusted linear regression the irisin was significantly associated with HOMA-IR, after adjustment for body fat the association lost its statistical significance (β=0.070, p-value=0.507). No association of irisin with adiponectin was found.Conclusions: We found that circulating irisin levels were higher in women with obesity as compared to normal body weight healthy controls and were positively predicted by total adiposity. Higher irisin levels were associated with systemic subclinical inflammation suggesting a role for irisin in the regulation of obesity-associated inflammation. In our samples, the relationship between circulating irisin levels and insulin resistance was mediated by visceral adiposity.