Serum Asprosin Concentrations Are Increased and Associated with Insulin Resistance in Children with Obesity

Abstract

Objective: Asprosin, a novel peptide that has recently discovered as an important regulatory adipokine, is relevant to obesity in animals and adult humans. Little is known about its roles in children. The aim of the current study was to determine the potential role of asprosin and explore its relationship to various obesity-related markers in children with obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 119 Chinese children, including 79 children with obesity and 40 lean controls. Anthropometric parameters, clinical data, and circulating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), adiponectin, leptin, and asprosin levels were measured. Results: Serum asprosin concentrations were significantly elevated in children with obesity compared with lean controls. Children with insulin resistance (IR) had higher asprosin levels than non-IR group. Asprosin was positively correlated with waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), diastolic blood pressure, homoeostasis model of IR (HOMA-IR), leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, TNF-α independent of their body mass index, SDs score, and age. In multivariable linear regression analysis, WHR and HOMA-IR were associated with the circulating level of asprosin. Conclusions: Circulating asprosins are increased in children with obesity and associated with IR. It may be proposed as a novel marker to predict advanced disease.

Asprosin: A Novel Player in Metabolic Diseases

“…Numerous studies have reported increased asprosin concentrations in humans and mice with obesity. It has been reported that serum asprosin levels are pathologically elevated in obese adults, children, and mice, while reduced body weight and food intake could be observed in obese mice via using an asprosin-specific antibody (6,23,24). Furthermore, a positive association can be seen between circulating asprosin concentrations and waist circumference and triglyceride (TG) (14,24).…”

Serum concentration of asprosin in new-onset type 2 diabetes

“…Olfr734 knockout mice have been shown a poor response to asprosin, low cAMP and glucose production, and increased insulin sensitivity [ 16 ]. Some studies have shown that serum concentration of asprosin is associated with insulin sensitivity [ 15 , 17 – 20 ]. Injection of recombinant asprosin increases glucose and causes hyperinsulinemia, while injection of anti-asprosin antibodies improves glucose tolerance and insulin resistance [ 14 ].…”

Serum Asprosin Level in Different Subtypes of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study

“…The olfactory receptor OLFR734 specifically binds with asprosin to modulate hepatic glucose production [8]. Several recent studies have shown that asprosin correlated with obesity in children and adults, T2DM and PCOS [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”