Higher oxidative stress and inflammation in obese compared to lean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Aim: To compare mRNA [messenger RNA] expression of RELA, NFκB1, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 in whole blood & serum Total Antioxidant status [TAS] in newly diagnosed lean and obese patients with T2DM. Methods: Newly diagnosed treatment naïve patients of T2DM were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups of 30 patients each, lean (BMI25 kg/m2) groups. mRNA expression of RELA, NFκB1, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 was measured by real time PCR. Serum TAS was measured using a commercially available kit. Results: There was a 2.7-fold increase in mRNA expression of RELA in obese group compared to the lean group. There was a 1.3-fold increase in mRNA expression of NFκB1, a 3.24-fold increase in mRNA expression of TNF-α, a 4.7-fold increase in mRNA expression of IL 6 and a 3.8-fold increase in mRNA expression of MCP-1 in obese group compared to the lean group. Mean fasting serum insulin levels were 16.07 ± 8.39 μIU/mL in the lean group and 27.11 ± 4.91μIU/mL in the obese group (p = 0.001). Mean TAS level was 5.39 ± 2.28 μM Trolox Equivalents in the obese group and 3.85 ± 3.33 μM Trolox Equivalents in the lean group (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Inflammation and OS is higher in obese patients of T2DM compared to lean patients of T2DM. This could be the result of excess adipokines production or resistance to the anti-inflammatory effects of insulin with multiple explanations. Our study suggests a difference in the pathogenic mechanism in lean patients when compared with obese T2DM patients.

Keywords

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Inflammation
• Lean
• Obese
• Oxidative stress