Chemerin Levels in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and a Normal Weight versus Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: An Observational, Cross-Sectional Study

Chemerin acts as both a chemotactic agent and an adipokine that undergoes proteolytic cleavage, converting inactive precursors into their active forms before being subsequently inactivated. Elevated chemerin levels are linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). This study aimed to elucidate the effects of T2D and obesity on chemerin levels by comparing plasma samples from individuals with a normal weight and T2D (BMI < 25; NWD group n = 22) with those from individuals who are overweight or obese and have T2D (BMI >= 25; OWD group n = 39). The total chemerin levels were similar in the NWD and OWD groups, suggesting that T2D may equalize the chemerin levels irrespective of obesity status. The cleavage of chemerin has been previously linked to myocardial infarction and stroke in NWD, with potential implications for inflammation and mortality. OWD plasma exhibited lower levels of cleaved chemerin than the NWD group, suggesting less inflammation in the OWD group. Here, we showed that the interaction between obesity and T2D leads to an equalization in the total chemerin levels. The cleaved chemerin levels and the associated inflammatory state, however, differ significantly, underscoring the complex relationship between chemerin, T2D, and obesity.