Comparison of Serum Interleukin-37 Level in Obese, Nonobese Type II Diabetic Patients and Healthy Controls

Abstract

Backgroud: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a metabolic disease resulting from the genetic and environmental factors and which causes insulin dysfunction on peripheral tissues, as well as in the pancreatic β-cell. Underlying pathologies such as overweight and obesity are the main factors for the development of T2DM. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine and also called as a “dual function.” Aim of study: This study has demonstrated was elevated in the obese T2DM patients and IL-37 protects from obesity-induced leading to development of T2DM. Fifty-eight patients who visited to the National Center for Diabetes Research and Treatment in the İraq/Baghdad with the age of <40–>60 years were employed in this study. Patient groups were 29 obese T2DM and 29 nonobese T2DM patients, and they when compared with 29 individuals as healthy control groups. In this study, serum IL-37 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In obese T2DM patients, the mean serum level of IL-37 was elevated and significantly higher (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 5.594 ± 3.421 pg/ml; P < 0.0001) in comparison with nonobese T2DM patients (mean ± SD, 1.851 ± 0.417 pg/ml; P < 0.0001) and healthy control group (mean ± SD, 0.777 ± 0.099 pg/ml). Conclusions: In this study, obese T2DM patients had higher serum IL-37 levels but lower serum IL-37 levels in nonobese diabetic patients as compared to the healthy controls. This result led to the supposition that the rise in serum IL-37 level is related with obesity. Further, it suggests that IL-37 being an anti-inflammatory mediator might be responsible for some underline changes, which may develop the progress of T2DM.