Copeptin and Nesfatin-1 are interesting interrelated biomarkers playing a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Chinese obese children

Abstract Background Recently, copeptin and nesfatin-1 have been identified as interesting novel peptides playing a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related insulin resistance in adults, respectively. However, the relationship between them has not been elucidated; and their circulating levels in obese children have not been adequately studied. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate whether their levels are altered in Chinese obese children and to study the correlation of these two peptides with each other and with insulin resistance and other biochemical parameters. Methods A total of 120 children were enrolled in this study, including 80 obese children and 40 lean controls. Anthropometric parameters and clinical data of all subjects were collected and circulating TNF-α, adiponectin, leptin, copeptin and nesfatin-1 levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results Serum copeptin and nesfatin-1 levels were significantly elevated in obese children and children with insulin resistance compared to control subjects. In addition, nesfatin-1 and copeptin levels were found to be significantly positively correlated with one another in pearson’s correlation and partial correlation. More importantly, multiple regression analysis used nesfatin-1or copeptin as the dependent parameters and significant correlation between nesfatin-1 and copeptin with each other and the associations between each of them with HOMA-IR were detected. Conclusion These findings are novel and shed light on the possible interplay role of these two molecules in obesity-related insulin resistance.