The Relation of Serum Zonulin with Clinical and Biochemical Parameters in Obese Egyptian Adolescents

Abstract

Azza Abd El-Shaheed, Reham F. Fahmy, Nermine N. Mahfouz, Mona A. El-Bana, Safa N. Abd El-Fattah, Salwa Refat El-Zayat and Hiba Sibaii

Background: Changes in intestinal permeability have been related to obesity and its metabolic complications. Zonulin is recognized as a biomarker of impaired intestinal permeability.

The study aimed to find out if there is a difference in serum levels of zonulin as a marker of intestinal permeability between obese subjects and those of normal weight in a group of young adolescents and to evaluate its associations with anthropometric measures and obesity-associated biomarkers, such as lipid profile and insulin resistance.

Methods: A case-control study enrolled obese Egyptian adolescents with a body mass index ≥ 95th percentile, and normal weight who were of similar age and gender distribution. Fasting insulin, glucose, lipid levels, and zonulin were measured.

Results: Serum zonulin in the obese group had significantly higher levels compared to the control group (P= 0.009). There were significant and positive correlations in the obese group between zonulin and insulin (r= 0.393; P= 0.002), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (r= 0.43; P= 0.001), cholesterol (r= 0.299; P= 0.018), and low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (r= 0.447; P=0.000).

Conclusion: These findings suggested a probable participation of zonulin in the etiopathogenesis of obesity-associated metabolic disturbances.

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