Serum IL-12 Is Increased in Mexican Obese Subjects and Associated with Low-Grade Inflammation and Obesity-Related Parameters

• Main Authors: K. Suárez-Álvarez, L. Solís-Lozano, S. Leon-Cabrera, A. González-Chávez, G. Gómez-Hernández, M. S. Quiñones-Álvarez, A. E. Serralde-Zúñiga, J. Hernández-Ruiz, J. Ramírez-Velásquez, F. J. Galindo-González, J. C. Zavala-Castillo, M. A. De León-Nava, G. Robles-Díaz, G. Escobedo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2013-01-01
• Series: Mediators of Inflammation
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/967067

Interleukin-(IL-) 12 has been recently suggested to participate during development of insulin resistance in obese mice. Nevertheless, serum IL-12 levels have not been accurately determined in overweight and obese humans. We thus studied serum concentrations of IL-12 in Mexican adult individuals, examining their relationship with low-grade inflammation and obesity-related parameters. A total of 147 healthy individuals, 43 normal weight, 61 overweight, and 43 obese subjects participated in the study. Circulating levels of IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), leptin, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were measured after overnight fasting in all of the study subjects. Waist circumference and body fat percentage were recorded for all the participants. Serum IL-12 was significantly higher in overweight and obese individuals than in normal weight controls. Besides being strongly related with body mass index (r=0.5154), serum IL-12 exhibited a significant relationship with abdominal obesity (r=0.4481), body fat percentage (r=0.5625), serum glucose (r=0.3158), triglyceride (r=0.3714), and TNF-α (r=0.4717). Thus, serum levels of IL-12 are increased in overweight and obese individuals and show a strong relationship with markers of low-grade inflammation and obesity in the Mexican adult population. Further research is needed to understand the role of IL-12 in developing obesity-associated alterations in humans.