Beyond the Scale: Investigating Adiponectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 as Metabolic Markers in Obese Adolescents with Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Adiponectin acts to prevent vascular dysfunction due to obesity by inhibiting ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expressions. Objective: We investigate adiponectin ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in obese adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study with healthy obese adolescents aged 13 to 18 years was conducted from October 2019 to January 2020. Statistical analysis conducted was a test of normality and homogeneity tests, ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis, independent sample T-test/Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation and determined as significant if p value <0.05. Results: 125 obese adolescents were recruited. 42 (33.6%) were obese with MetS (we grouped as MetS) and 83 (66.4%) subjects without MetS (non-MetS group). VCAM-1 was significantly higher on boys with MetS compared to girls with MetS, and even girls with MetS had lower levels of VCAM-1 than boys with non-MetS. ICAM-1 was significantly higher in boys with low-level HDL-c (p < 0.05) and correlated weakly with HDL-c, while adiponectin levels were significantly lower in girls with central obesity and hypertriglyceridemia. Path analysis showed that triglyceride had a direct effect on ICAM-1 but not VCAM-1 in both obese boys and girls. Adiponectin had a negative direct effect on ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in girls. However, on boys, diastole blood pressure had a negative direct effect, which might be the role of sex hormones indirectly. Conclusion: VCAM-1 was significantly higher in boys than girls, which showed that boys had a higher risk of atherosclerosis. ICAM-1 showed no significant difference in both gender and metabolic states. Adiponectin showed a protective effect by lowering ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 directly on girls.

CTLA-4 CT-60 A/G and CTLA-4 1822 C/T Gene Polymorphisms in Indonesians with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: CTLA-4 gene polymorphism plays an important role in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, data on this subject vary among different races and ethnics. Purpose: To analyze CTLA-4 CT-60 A/G and CTLA-4 1822 C/T gene polymorphism among children with T1DM compared to control. Patients and Methods: The CTLA-4 CT-60 A/G and CTLA-4 1822 C/T gene polymorphism in children with T1DM using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 25 T1DM and 25 controls. The inclusion criteria were patients regularly controlled at the Pediatric Endocrine Outpatient Clinic of Dr. Soetomo Hospital, aged 4-18 years and willing to join this study and the exclusion criteria were T1DM patients hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit. In the control group, the inclusion criteria were healthy children, aged 4-18 years and willing to join this study. The exclusion criteria included children with ongoing infection, history of other autoimmune diseases, allergies, or malignancy. Results: The mean age was 12.48 years old, and the mean of T1DM onset was 9.28 years old. The CTLA-4 1822 T allele observed in 62% T1DM and 56% in control (p = 0.388, OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.44-1.37) and CTLA-4 CT-60 G allele observed in 52% T1DM and 58% in control (p = 0.393, OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 0.73-2.22). The C/T genotypes was significantly higher in control group (p = 0.045, OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.00-10.62). The A/G genotypes was commonly found in control group (p = 0.765, OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.37-3.86). The Javanese was the dominant ethnic group in our study. Conclusion: The frequency of CTLA-4 CT-60 A/G polymorphism almost equivalent in T1DM and control group. However, CTLA-4 1822 C/T polymorphism was more prevalent in the control group; thus, this genotype may have a protective effect against T1DM.