Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Jul 2022)

Elevated CTSL Gene Expression Correlated with Proinflammatory Cytokines in Omental Adipose Tissue of Patients with Obesity

  • Zhou Q,
  • Zhu Y,
  • Li C,
  • Li Z,
  • Tang Z,
  • Yuan B,
  • Wang X,
  • Zhang S,
  • Wu X

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 15
pp. 2277 – 2285

Abstract

Read online

Qiong Zhou,1,2 Yankun Zhu,3 Chun Li,2 Zhiqiang Li,1 Zhe Tang,2 Baohong Yuan,3 Xiaodan Wang,4 Shengqingyu Zhang,1 Xinan Wu1 1School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, Yan’an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Surgery, Yan’an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunological Prevention and Treatment of Yunnan Province, Yan’an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, Kunming, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xinan Wu, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, People’s Republic of China, Tel +85-13888984762, Fax +86-871-65933614, Email [email protected]: Cathepsin L (CTSL) and B (CTSB) were lysosomal proteases, and their expression and activity contribute to the progression of inflammation in obese rodents. Our aim was to investigate CTSB and CTSL expression in omental adipose tissue (AT) of patients with obesity and to correlate CTSB and CTSL expression with proinflammatory cytokines (CCL-2, IL-6 and IL-1β).Patients and Methods: A total of 12 patients without obesity (NOB) and 51 patients with obesity (OB) were involved in this study. Omental AT was collected from all the participants for RNA extraction. Expressions of CTSB, CTSL and proinflammatory cytokines (CCL-2, IL-6 and IL-1β) were qualified with qRT-PCR. BMI (body mass index) and metabolic parameters were measured.Results: The mRNA expression levels of both CTSB and CTSL were upregulated in the OB group (t = 2.693, P < 0.05; t = 2.849, P< 0.01) and were related to TC levels (Std.β=0.443, P< 0.05; Std.β=0.439, P< 0.05). However, only the CTSB level was related to BMI (Std.β=0.261, P< 0.05). In multiple regression analysis, CTSL was independently associated with CCL-2, IL-6 and IL-1β levels (Std.β=0.352– 0.462, P< 0.05).Conclusion: CTSB and CTSL gene expressions were elevated in the omental AT of OB group. CTSL, but not CTSB, was positively correlated with proinflammatory cytokines independently, suggesting that the dysregulation of CTSL may play a significant role in the inflammatory process.Keywords: adipose tissue, cathepsin, cytokines, obesity, inflammation

Keywords