Serum MOTS-C Levels are Decreased in Obese Children and Associated with Vascular Endothelial Function

Yan-Hua Luo; Li Xie; Jiao-Yang Li; Yuan Xie; Man-Qin Li; Li Zhou

doi:10.2147/DMSO.S403934

Serum MOTS-C Levels are Decreased in Obese Children and Associated with Vascular Endothelial Function

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2023 Apr 12:16:1013-1020. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S403934. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yan-Hua Luo¹, Li Xie², Jiao-Yang Li³, Yuan Xie⁴, Man-Qin Li¹, Li Zhou¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China.
² Pediatric Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Purpose: The increasing prevalence of obesity in children and its associated risk with cardiovascular diseases demand more discovery of the novel biomarkers for developing new treatment options for this complex disease. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum MOTS-C (a peptide encoded in the mitochondrial genome) levels and vascular endothelial function in obese children.

Patients and methods: A total of 225 obese children (aged 8.1 ± 2.6 years) and 218 healthy children (aged 7.9 ± 2.2 years) were enrolled. Related anthropometric assessment and biochemical evaluation were done in all subjects. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI), as assessed by the peripheral arterial tonometry, was used for evaluation of peripheral endothelial function. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the level of serum MOTS-C.

Results: Levels of serum MOTS-C and RHI were lower in the obese children compared with the healthy children (P < 0.01). The RHI level was independently associated with body mass index, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and MOTS-C in linear regression analysis. Further analysis showed a significant mediating effect of MOTS-C on the correlation between body mass index and RHI in children, with the ratio of mediating effect value of 9.12%.

Conclusion: These data identify that MOTS-C is a previously unknown regulator in the development process of obesity-induced vascular changes.

Keywords: MOTS-C; children; mitochondrial-derived peptides; obese; vascular endothelial function.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Scientific Research Fund key Project of Hunan Provincial Health Commission (No. A2017011) and the Hunan Province Social Science Project (No. XSP22YBC361).