Cord blood irisin levels are positively correlated with birth weight in newborn infants

Abstract

Background Irisin is a novel myokine, secreted from skeletal muscle after exercise. Irisin mediates exercise-related energy expenditure by turning white adipose tissue (WAT) into brown adipose tissue (BAT). Thus, irisin is considered as a potential biomarker for obesity and metabolic syndrome. Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) have increased risk for metabolic syndrome. However, the physiologic role of irisin in neonates remains to be studied. Objective To evaluate the association of umbilical cord blood irisin levels with gestational age and birth weight categories in neonates. Methods A cross-sectional study of 341 newborns, from 26 to 41 weeks' gestation. We collected umbilical cord blood and analyzed plasma for irisin by ELISA. Results Plasma irisin levels were positively correlated with gestational age (r=0.21, p<0.001), and birth weight Z-score (r=0.18, p<0.001). SGA infants had significantly lower irisin (median [interquartile range] 55.38 [46.56 - 65.72] ng/mL) compared to appropriate for gestational age infants (64.41 [53.87 - 76.76] ng/mL) and large for gestational age infants (68.70 [54.78 - 79.09] ng/mL, p<0.01). The association between SGA and lower irisin remained significant in multivariate analysis independent of gestational age, maternal age, maternal BMI, and gestational diabetes (p=0.03). In singleton infants, irisin was also significantly negatively associated with maternal preeclampsia (p=0.01). Conclusions Our results support the notion that irisin may have a physiologic role in neonates. We speculate that decreased levels of irisin in SGA infants may contribute to the development of catch up growth and metabolic syndrome later in life.

Serum Irisin Predicts Posthepatectomy Complications in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

“…In the present study, we found that serum irisin levels were at a few μg/ml. However, circulating irisin levels have been reported at μg/ml [3,20], ng/ml [21,22], and even pg/ml [23,24] levels in different studies. In most studies, irisin levels were measured by ELISA.…”

Irisin: A true, circulating hormone

“…They also observed that irisin was positively correlated with birth-weight. Similarly, Joung et al [23] reported lower irisin in SGA than AGA and LGA, and that irisin was positively associated with gestational age and birth-weight. The authors speculated that lower irisin levels in SGA may contribute to the development of catch-up growth and metabolic syndrome later in life, which remains to be elucidated by further mechanistic studies.…”

“…Joung (2015) [23] Humans; cross-sectional Evaluation of cord blood irisin in LGA, SGA and AGA in newborns (26-41 weeks' gestation).…”

Irisin: As a Therapeutic Target for Metabolic Disorders

“…Newborn infants have a higher content of BAT required for thermogenesis and its percentage declines after infancy. Appropriate gestational age (AGA) infants have higher total body fat percentage as compared to smaller gestational age (SGA) infants which is a consequence of lower irisin level [52,53]. A cross-sectional study conducted by Caglar and his colleagues [54] explained the relation between cord blood irisin level and birth weight.…”