The relationship of changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell telomerase activity and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) with other ninflammatory markers in obese individuals

Historically, obesity used to be considered as a condition associated with high socioeconomic status and only in the early 20th century and developed countries, obesity became a public health issue. In our study, we aimed to examine the relationship of MIF concentration with telomerase activity in obese individuals. In our study 62 individuals with Body Mass Index (BMI) over 25 and 20 healthy volunteers were included. Circulating MIF, p53, and TNF-α were measured by using ELISA kits. Telomerase activity in isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined using PCR. Plasma MIF (obese group= 173.64 pg/mL, control group= 39.5 pg/mL, p=0.005) and p53 (obese group = 13.37 U/mL, control group = 0.85 U/mL, p=0.001), were found to be significantly higher in obese individuals. There was no significant difference between the groups in TNF-α levels (obese group= 19.98 pg/mL, control group= 20.48 pg/mL, p=0.585). Telomerase activity was found to be significantly higher in obese individuals. (32.3% of obese individuals were positive, 67.7% were negative, 5% of control individuals were positive, 95% were negative, p = 0.015) There was a significant correlation between BMI and MIF, p53, telomerase activity (p = 0.034, r = 0.235; p = 0.028, r = 0.243; p = 0.048, r = 0.219, respectively). A significant correlation was found between MIF and p53, (p = 0.001, r = 0.39), and between MIF and telomerase activity (p = 0.003, r = 0.326). No significant correlation was observed between MIF and TNF-α. (p= 0.082), or between p53 and telomerase activity (p = 0.53). Conclusion: Plasma MIF, p53 levels and telomerase activity were found to be significantly higher in obese individuals. There was a significant correlation between MIF and p53 and telomerase activity. These results indicate that MIF, p53 and telomerase activity; can play a role in obesity pathology.