Correlation of the differential expressions of RANK, RANKL, and OPG with obesity in the elderly population in Xinjiang

TL;DR

This study examines how RANK, RANKL, and OPG gene and protein expressions in leukocytes correlate with obesity in elderly people from Xinjiang.

Contribution

The study identifies specific gene and protein expression patterns in obesity-related inflammation among elderly individuals in Xinjiang.

Findings

RANK gene and RANKL protein and gene expressions were significantly higher in obese elderly patients.

Abdominal circumference correlated with RANK, RANKL, and OPG expressions in leukocytes of obese patients.

Differential expressions of RANK and RANKL were significantly associated with obesity in the elderly population.

Abstract

Obesity has been recognized as a global epidemic and public health crisis. The prevalence of obesity has tripled since 1975, especially in the elderly population. Accumulating preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed that chronic low-grade inflammation of adipose tissues is mechanistically related to metabolic diseases and tissue complications in overweight and obesity patients, as a result of the intricate interplay of various pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signaling cascades. The present study aims to explore the differential expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B (RANK), RANK ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in leukocytes of elderly obesity patients in Xinjiang, thereby providing new physiological, cellular, and molecular targets for the treatment of obesity.

A total of 40 obesity patients and 40 non-obesity patients were selected. The protein and gene expression levels of RANK, RANKL, and OPG in peripheral blood were detected by western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR.

There was no significant difference in the expression levels of RANK protein, OPG protein, and OPG gene between the obesity group and non-obesity group (P > 0.05). The relative expression levels of the RANK gene and RANKL protein and gene were significantly different between the obesity group and non-obesity group (P < 0.05). The differential expressions of the RANK gene, RANKL protein and gene, and the OPG protein in leukocytes had a significant correlation with obesity in the elderly population (P < 0.05).

The expressions of the RANKL protein and gene and RANK gene in leukocytes of elderly obesity patients in Xinjiang were higher than those of non-obesity patients. In the elderly obesity patients in Xinjiang, the abdominal circumference was correlated with the expressions of the RANK gene, RANKL protein and gene, and OPG protein in leukocytes.

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