Abdominal Obesity-Related Disturbance of Insulin Sensitivity Is Associated with CD8<sup>+</sup> EMRA Cells in the Elderly
Tim K. Boßlau,
Paulina Wasserfurth,
Britta Krüger,
Thomas Reichel,
Jana Palmowski,
Josefine Nebl,
Christopher Weyh,
Alexander Schenk,
Niklas Joisten,
Frank Stahl,
Stefanie Thoms,
Kristina Gebhardt,
Andreas Hahn,
Karsten Krüger
Affiliations
Tim K. Boßlau
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Paulina Wasserfurth
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, 30159 Hannover, Germany
Britta Krüger
Nemolab, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Thomas Reichel
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Jana Palmowski
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Josefine Nebl
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, 30159 Hannover, Germany
Christopher Weyh
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Alexander Schenk
Department of Performance and Health, Institute of Sports and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Straße 3, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Niklas Joisten
Department of Performance and Health, Institute of Sports and Sport Science, Technical University Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Straße 3, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Frank Stahl
Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstrasse 5, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Stefanie Thoms
Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstrasse 5, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Kristina Gebhardt
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Andreas Hahn
Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, 30159 Hannover, Germany
Karsten Krüger
Department of Exercise Physiology and Sports Therapy, Institute of Sports Science, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Kugelberg 62, 35394 Giessen, Germany
Aging and overweight increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate the potential mediating role of T-EMRA cells and inflammatory markers in the development of a decreased insulin sensitivity. A total of 134 healthy older volunteers were recruited (age 59.2 (SD 5.6) years). T cell subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, body composition, HOMA-IR, plasma tryptophan (Trp) metabolites, as well as cytokines and adipokines were determined. Using subgroup and covariance analyses, the influence of BMI on the parameters was evaluated. Moreover, correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analyses were performed. In the subgroup of participants with obesity, an increased proportion of CD8+EMRA cells and elevated concentrations of plasma kynurenine (KYN) were found compared to the lower-weight subgroups. Linear regression analysis revealed that an elevated HOMA-IR could be predicted by a higher proportion of CD8+EMRA cells and KYN levels. A mediation analysis showed a robust indirect effect of the Waist-to-hip ratio on HOMA-IR mediated by CD8+EMRA cells. Thus, the deleterious effects of abdominal obesity on glucose metabolism might be mediated by CD8+EMRA cells in the elderly. Longitudinal studies should validate this assumption and analyze the suitability of CD8+EMRA cells as early predictors of incipient prediabetes.