Objectives: Spexin (SPX) is a novel peptide that has recently emerged as an important regulatory adipokine of obesity and related metabolic disease. Little is known about its role in children. The aim of the current study was to determine the potential role of SPX in obese children and explore its relationships with obesity-related markers, insulin sensitivity and pancreatic β cell function. Method: We studied the levels of serum SPX in 40 obese and 32 normal weight pre-puberty children (mean age was 8.59 ± 1.82 and 8.15 ± 2.03 years in obesity and control groups respectively). We investigated the levels of body mass index, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, insulin, Homeostasis model assessment for insulin-resistant (HOMA-IR, HOMA for β-cell function [HOMA-β]), insulinogenic index and C-peptide index and analyzed their correlations with SPX levels. Results: SPX levels were significantly decreased in obese children compared to controls. Moreover, serum SPX levels were lower in IR obese subjects in contrast with the non-IR obese subjects. Serum SPX concentrations correlated negatively and significantly with triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting insulin level, HOMA-IR, insulinogenic index, and HOMA-β levels in obese children. Conclusions: In summary, serum SPX levels significantly decreased in obese children and negatively correlated with insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function indicators. Therefore, SPX may play a protective role in the process of glucose homeostasis and is closely related to β cell function in obese children.

In early life, over-nutrition may increase the risk of insulin resistance in the adult stage. Adiponectin and its receptor may play a key role in this process. This study aimed to identify the effect of a high-fat (HF) maternal diet on metabolic parameters and muscle adiponectin signaling in young adult offspring. We found that offspring born to dams fed HF chow (HF; 31% of calories from fat) had elevated body and adipose tissue weight and higher serum glucose levels after glucose challenge at three weeks (W3) and eight weeks (W8) of age. Offspring exposed to a HF diet also had higher serum adiponectin levels at W3 compared to controls. However, adiponectin levels were significantly decreased compared to controls by W8. Adiponectin receptor 1 mRNA expression in skeletal muscle was decreased in the HF group at W3 and W8, and there was no difference between the two groups in adiponectin receptor 2 expression. Furthermore, glucose transporter 4 mRNA and protein expression was decreased in the skeletal muscle of the HF group at W3 and W8. Our results suggest that a HF maternal diet decreases adiponectin receptor 1 expression in the offspring, which could contribute to reduced sensitivity to adiponectin and to adverse nutritional programing outcomes.

PurposeCTRP3 is a novel peptide that has recently emerged as an important regulatory adipokine of obesity and related metabolic disease. Little is known about its role in children. The current study aimed to investigate the potential role of CTRP3 in obese children and explore its relationships with insulin sensitivity, pancreatic β cell function, and obesity-related markers.Patients and methodsWe studied the levels of serum CTRP3 in 48 obese and 36 normal weight pre-puberty children. The levels of blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and insulin were measured, and the values of HOMA-IR, HOMA-β and insulinogenic index were calculated. The correlations of these measurements with CTRP3 levels were analyzed.ResultsIn this study, we found that CTRP3 serum levels significantly decreased in obese children compared to controls, and insulin resistant obese subjects have lower CTRP3 levels in contrast with the non-insulin resistant obese subjects. Moreover, serum CTRP3 concentrations significantly decreased, while glucose and insulin concentrations significantly increased after a 3 hrs oral glucose tolerance test in obese children. Furthermore, Serum CTRP3 levels correlated negatively and significantly with BMI, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR, HOMA-β and insulinogenic index in obese children.ConclusionIn summary, serum CTRP3 levels significantly decreased in obese children, and negatively correlated with insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function indicators. Therefore, CTRP3 may play a protective role in the glucose homeostasis and tightly related to β cell function as well as obesity-related markers in obese children.

Progranulin (PGRN), a novel peptide that has recently emerged as an important regulatory adipokine, is relevant to energy homeostasis and 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 PGRN and explore its relationship to various obesity-related markers in obese children. This was a cross-sectional study composed of 77 children (43 obese and 34 healthy, age 8.68 ± 0.28 and 8.46 ± 0.45 years, resp.). The PGRN levels were significantly higher in obese children (102.44 ± 4.18 ng/mL) comparing to controls (69.32 ± 5.49 ng/mL) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the PGRN levels were positively correlated with triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), IL-6, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in obese children after adjusted for BMI and age. However, there was no correlation of serum PGRN levels with OGTT-derived dynamic parameters, HOMA-IR, or HOMA-β in obese children. The results suggest that serum PGRN levels are significantly higher in obese children in China and correlate significantly with obesity-related markers. Increased PGRN levels may be involved in the pathological mechanism of childhood obesity.

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