Determinants of elevated chemerin as a novel biomarker of immunometabolism: data from a large population-based cohort

Abstract

Objective: Chemerin is a novel inflammatory biomarker suggested to play a role in the development of metabolic disorders, providing new avenues for treatment and prevention. Little is known about the factors that predispose elevated chemerin concentrations. We therefore aimed to explore a range of lifestyle-associated, dietary, and metabolic factors as potential determinants of elevated chemerin concentrations in asymptomatic adults. Design: We used cross-sectional data from a random subsample of 2,433 participants (1,494 women, 939 men) aged 42-58 years of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam cohort. Methods: Random forest regression (RFR) was applied to explore the relative importance of 32 variables as statistical predictors of elevated chemerin concentrations overall and by sex. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression was applied to evaluate associations between selected predictors and chemerin concentrations. Results: Results from RFR suggested BMI, waist circumference, C-reactive protein, fatty liver index, and estimated glomerular filtration rate as the strongest predictors of chemerin concentrations. Additional predictors included sleeping duration, alcohol, red and processed meat, fruits, sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), vegetables, dairy and refined grains. Collectively, these factors explained 32.9% variation of circulating chemerin. Multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed linear associations of elevated chemerin with metabolic parameters, obesity, longer sleep, higher intakes of red meat and SSB, and lower intakes of dairy. Conclusions: These findings come in support of the role of chemerin as a biomarker characterizing inflammatory and metabolic phenotypes in asymptomatic adults. Modifiable dietary and lifestyle-associated determinants of elevated chemerin concentrations require further evaluation in a prospective study setting.

The Treatment With the SGLT2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin Modifies the Hepatic Metabolome of Male Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats Towards a Protective Profile

“…Over the past decade chemerin, that was initially identified as a potent chemoattractant in different immune cells with pivotal roles in both innate and adaptive immunity, has increasingly emerged as a biomarker characterizing inflammatory and metabolic phenotypes, and linking low-grade inflammation with metabolic disorders (Helfer and Wu, 2018;Eichelmann et al, 2019;Koelman et al, 2021), having been proposed as an early marker of chronic subclinical inflammation (Koelman et al, 2021). In accordance to this, chemerin has been strongly associated with the pathogenesis and/or progression of hepatic metabolic dysfunction (Bekaert et al, 2016;Jacenik and Fichna, 2020;Léniz et al, 2022).…”

The Role of Chemerin in Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disease: A Literature Review of Its Physiology and Pathology from a Nutritional Perspective

“…A large cohort study has revealed a linear association between elevated levels of chemerin and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages [ 87 ]. Indeed, a high glucose challenge increased chemerin, both in 3T3-L1 cells and in mice in vivo, and this involved insulin [ 88 ].…”

“…This was also true in patients with morbid obesity [ 98 ]. In contrast, a high intake of red meat, which associates with elevated levels of inflammatory markers, and a low intake of dairy, link to elevated chemerin levels [ 87 ].…”

Chemerin Levels in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and a Normal Weight versus Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: An Observational, Cross-Sectional Study

“…Obesity is a significant contributor to insulin resistance and the subsequent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) development [23][24][25]. A relationship has been described between circulating chemerin levels and BMI, with an increased production of chemerin potentially occurring in the liver [26,27]. There is a correlation between chemerin levels, both total and cleaved, and body mass index (BMI) in individuals with obesity and T2D [19,28,29].…”