PI3K/Akt pathway expression in children with different obesity degrees and its relationship with glucolipid metabolism and insulin resistance.

Objective: This study investigated and analyzed the expression of PI3K/Akt pathway in children with different degree of obesity and its connection with glucolipid metabolism and insulin resistance (IR).

Methods: 157 children with simple obesity, who admitted to our hospital from March 2020 to September 2020, were enrolled as obesity group. These children were divided into mild-group (n=67), moderate-group (n=55) and severe-group (n=35) referring to their body mass index (BMI). Another 60 healthy children admitted to hospitalized were randomly chosen as control group. The expression of PI3K mRNA and Akt mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of each group were detected by RT-PCR, and its connection with glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as IR was analyzed.

Results: Each group of children had insignificant difference in FBG (Fasting blood glucose) level (). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Fasting insulin (FINS) and Homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels in each obesity group were substantially higher than those in control group (), and these levels decreased remarkably with the increase of obesity severity (). The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level of children in each obesity group was notably lower than that of the control group (), and the level decreased remarkably with the ascending degree of obesity (). The levels of PI3K mRNA and Akt mRNA in PBMCs of children in each obesity group were obviously lower than those in control group (), and these index levels decreased much with the increasing worsen of children's obesity degree (). The relative expression of PI3K mRNA and Akt mRNA in children with simple obesity was negatively correlated with TG, TC, LDL, FINS and HOMA-IR (), positively correlated with HDL (), and was not associated with FBG level ().

Conclusion: The inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in children with simple obesity is associated with the abnormal glucolipid metabolism and IR, which affects the occurrence and progression of obesity.