Serum Levels of Spexin and Kisspeptin Negatively Correlate With Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Women

Abstract

Spexin (SPX) and kisspeptin (KISS) are novel peptides relevant in the context of regulation of metabolism, food intake, puberty and reproduction. Here, we studied changes of serum SPX and KISS levels in female non-obese volunteers (BMI<25 kg/m2) and obese patients (BMI>35 kg/m2). Correlations between SPX or KISS with BMI, McAuley index, QUICKI, HOMA IR, serum levels of insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin, orexin-A, obestatin, ghrelin and GLP-1 were assessed. Obese patients had lower SPX and KISS levels as compared to non-obese volunteers (SPX: 4.48±0.19 ng/ml vs. 6.63±0.29 ng/ml; p<0.001, KISS: 1.357±0.15 nmol/l vs. 2.165±0.174 nmol/l; p<0.01). SPX negatively correlated with BMI, HOMA-IR, insulin, glucagon, active ghrelin and leptin. Positive correlations were found between SPX and QUICKI index, McAuley index, serum levels of obestatin, GLP-1 and adiponectin and orexin-A Serum KISS negatively correlated with BMI, HOMA-IR, serum levels of insulin, glucagon, active ghrelin and leptin. KISS positively correlated with QUICKI index, McAuley index and adiponectin. In summary, SPX and KISS show negative correlations with obesity, insulin resistance indices, and hormones known to affect insulin sensitivity in females. Both, SPX and KISS could be therefore relevant in the pathophysiology of obesity and insulin resistance.

Kisspeptin and attributes of infertile males and females: A cross‐sectional study in a subset of Pakistani population

“…Higher KP in nonobese males and nonobese young females was observed in our study, which might be due to the fact that KP affects negatively on body weight and calorie consumption (Walewski et al, #216). BMI and body fat % age were noted to be high in infertile groups while KP was low which is perhaps due to certain changes in the sex hormones which regulates obesity by increasing the serum triglycerides levels (Kołodziejski et al, ; Shamai et al, ). It is a well‐established fact that there are various mechanisms how obesity causes infertility (Talmor & Dunphy, ).…”

Role of adiponectin in ovarian follicular development and ovarian reserve

“…Obese individuals were found to have lower serum kisspeptin levels compared with normoweight individuals (30). Furthermore, there is an inverse association between serum kisspeptin levels and BMI, but a positive correlation between kisspeptin and serum adiponectin levels (30). This correlation was further supported by Zhou et al (37), who demonstrated that high-fat diet-induced obesity caused a marked suppression of ovarian Kiss1 mRNA levels in mice at postnatal days 42 and 70 compared with normoweight mice on normal chow diet.…”

“…These findings indicate that certain related metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes mellitus, are involved in the regulation of kisspeptin through hormones such as adiponectin. Obese individuals were found to have lower serum kisspeptin levels compared with normoweight individuals (30). Furthermore, there is an inverse association between serum kisspeptin levels and BMI, but a positive correlation between kisspeptin and serum adiponectin levels (30).…”

“…Obese individuals were found to have lower serum kisspeptin levels compared with normoweight individuals (30). Furthermore, serum kisspeptin levels were found to be negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (30), but positively correlated with serum adiponectin (30).…”

“…In addition to its regulation of female reproduction at the level of the hypothalamus (26,27), the neuropeptide kisspeptin is expressed in the rat ovary, suggesting a role for kisspeptin in ovarian function (28,29). Obese individuals were found to have lower serum kisspeptin levels compared with normoweight individuals (30). Furthermore, serum kisspeptin levels were found to be negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (30), but positively correlated with serum adiponectin (30).…”