Role of Follistatin-Like 1 in Development of Insulin Resistance in Overweight and Obese Children

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity is considered a public health issue in both developed and developing countries. The state of chronic low-grade inflammation associated with obesity contributes to the development of insulin resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms that link obesity to inflammation are not fully understood. Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) is a proinflammatory cytokine that is expressed in adipose tissue and secreted by preadipocytes/adipocytes. The aim of this study is to evaluate serum level of FSTL1 in overweight/obese children as compared to normal healthy subjects, and correlate serum FSTL1 level with inflammation and insulin resistance. Our work showed that overweight and obese children had significantly higher levels of serum FSTL1, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). In conclusion, serum FSTL1 can be a useful biomarker for obesity in children. Moreover, FSTL1, being a pro inflammatory cytokine, may provide a possible link between obesity, inflammation, and the development of insulin resistance in the overweight/obese children.