Endocrine Abstracts

Adipose tissue acts as a metabolically dynamic endocrine organ secreting several hormones, cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Resistin plays a role in inducing insulin resistance and inflammation mediated by IL6 and MCP1 cytokines. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pituitary adenoma (PA) and obesity disorders are characterized by insulin resistance and different hormonal-metabolic processes.

The increased occurrence of proinflammatory IL17, IL6 and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP1) cytokines and resistin was investigated, which are initiating factors for cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis.

Ninety fertile women (mean age 35 years and mean body mass index (BMI) 28), of whom 16 women were controls, 28 women had polycystic ovarian syndrome, 9 women had pituitary microadenome and 37 women obesity. The serum cytokine measurements were performed by ELISA.

All cytokine levels were higher in obesity compared with those in controls (65.86±41.76 vs 48±20.45 ng/ml, P<0.042 for resistin; 12.38±3.01 vs 10.44±0.54 ng/ml, P<0.0001 for IL17; 22.57±6.9 vs 16.32±2.29 ng/ml, P<0.0001 for IL6; 19.54±3.03 vs 15.93±0.56 ng/ml, P<0.0001 for MCP1). Increased IL17 (14.13±3.79 ng/ml, P>0.0001) and MCP1 (17.8±2.71 ng/ml, P<0.001) levels were demonstrated in PCOS and lower resistin levels (44.8±22.08 ng/ml, P<0.03) in PA patients in comparison with those in controls. A strong relationship was found between resistin and IL6 (P<0.002, r=0.3256), between IL6 and IL17 (P<0.0001, r=0.4074) or MCP1 ((P 0.0001, r=0.6237), as well as between IL17 and MCP1 (P 0.0001, r=0.6253).

Overweight in PCOS and obesity represents an accelerating factor for cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis through increased proinflammatory cytokine secretion. IL17 cytokine levels enhance also in overweight and it be involved in inflammatory processes.