Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: The global epidemic of obesity represents a severe threat to public health and quality of life. Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene was the first locus unequivocally associated with adiposity. The polymorphisms of FTO gene association with obesity and T2DM have been identified in large multiple populations, however, the correlation between FTO level and clinical parameters in is not completely understood. Here we analyze the relations of serum FTO to adiposity and glucose metabolism in obesity and T2DM individuals.

Materials and methods: The experiment designs the groups as fellow: subjects with normal glucose regulation and normal weight (NW–NGR, n=96), abdominal obese subjects with normal glucose regulation (OB-NGR, n=67), newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its subgroups of T2DM with normal weight (NW-T2DM, n=153) and T2DM with abdominal obesity (OB-T2DM n=116). Serum FTO was detected by double antibody sandwich ELISA in fasting status. The levels of glucose, lipids, insulin and anthropometrical parameters such as BMI, fat content, waist circumference (WC) and waist hip ratio (WHR) were measured. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by HOMA-IR. Correlation analysis was performed in order to investigate the relationship between FTO and the detected parameters.

Results: After age and sex adjustment, serum FTO levels in OB-NGR, NW-T2DM, and OB-T2DM were significantly higher than that of NW-NGR (32.74±2.65, 28.34±1.96, 43.22±3.48 vs 23.66±1.62 pg/ml, P<0.05). There was no difference in serum FTO levels between OB-NGR and NW-T2DM, but the serum FTO levels in OB-T2DM was significantly higher than that of NW-T2DM (P<0.01) and OB-NGR (P<0.05). In the linear correlation analysis, serum FTO were positively correlated with BMI, WC, Fat%, WHR, TG, TC (P all <0.01); and also positively correlated with FINS, HOMA-IR, LDL-C, FPG (P all <0.05); negatively correlated with HDL-C (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed BMI, WC, WHR, TG were the significant impact factor influencing the of the serum FTO level.

Conclusion: Serum FTO is not only strongly related to abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, but also associated with blood glucose and lipids. BMI, WC, WHR and TG were most significant independent determinants for serum FTO concentration. As such, the serum FTO levels would be a candidate metabolic marker obesity, especially abdominal obesity.

Key Words: FTO, T2DM, obesity, glucose, BMI