Endocrine Abstracts

Adipokines belong to a group of proteins involved in the pathogenesis and progression of immune/inflammatory diseases. It is an open question whether and how adipokines contribute to these diseases. Adiponectin might be a key regulator of the immune system, playing a role in the progression of inflammatory disorders. Omentin has been recognized as an anti-inflammatory adipokine with influence on immune response regulation and inflammation, Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. The studies showed a possible role of adipokines in the development of fibrosis and modulation of the immune response in the course of SSc. We aimed to evaluate plasma levels of adiponectin and omentin-1 in SSc patients in basal conditions as well as in prospective observations.

Material and Methods: 59 patients with SSc and 27 healthy controls, matched with age, BMI and HOMA-IR, were enrolled in the study. The severity of the skin fibrosis in SSc individuals was evaluated using the Rodnan scale. In all participants, fasting plasma adiponectin and omentin-1 concentrations were assessed using the ELISA.

Results: Omentin-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with SSc compared with the controls. These differences remained marked after adjustment to BMI. No changes were seen between omentin-1 concentrations in prospective analyses in SSc patients (0, 6 months, 9 months). Although adiponectin had a trend to lower values in SSc individuals in comparison to the controls, the differences were not significant. However, after adjustment to BMI, these differences became significant. Similar to omentin-1, there were no adiponectin fluctuations in the follow-up. Amongst two selected adipokines, only adiponectin levels correlated with the Rodnan scale (R = −0.21, P < 0.05). To conclude, adiponectin and omentin-1 cannot be regarded as potential metabolic markers of a course of systemic sclerosis. However, higher omentin-1 and lower adiponectin concentrations after adjustment to BMI, as seen in SSc patients, may indicate an influence of these adipokines on pathomechanisms involved in systemic sclerosis.

This study was supported by the CMKP grant 506-1-31-22-19.