11β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 Gene Expression in Obesity and its Complications

Background: 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 beta-HSD1) is an enzyme greatly expressed in the adipose tissue and acts as a reductase (convert inactive cortisone into active cortisol). Previous study assumed that the pathophysiology of obesity might be elaborated by tissue-specific dysregulation of cortisol metabolism. Numerous studies have assessed 11 beta-HSD1 gene polymorphisms and obesity risk. However, there is still a lack in the published literature evaluating the association between 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression and the risk of obesity and its related diseases. Objective: This study was carried out to investigate the relationship of 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Moreover, this study correlates 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression with various parameters in obese patients. Patients and methods: Our study was conducted on 74 subjects; they were selected from kasr Al Aini Hospital, Surgical Department. Obese patients (n=56) with BMI >= 30 kg/m(2) were divided according to obesity complications into obese (n=26), obese hypertensive (n=14) and obese diabetic (n=16) groups beside 18 age- and sex-matched normal weight healthy subjects as control group. The expression of 11 beta-HSD1 was evaluated with real-time PCR. Results: There was a significant difference between obese and controls in HSD11 beta 1 gene expression level and we found a significant difference in obese patients with diabetes and hypertension compared to normal weight healthy controls. Furthermore, the correlation and regression analysis showed that the 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression was correlated with fasting blood glucose and triglycerides levels in obese patients. Conclusion: The study shows a significant association between subcutaneous adipose tissue 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression and obesity. Moreover, the subcutaneous adipose tissue expression level of 11 beta-HSD1 gene was correlated to fasting plasma glucose level and also correlated to triglycerides. So the 11 beta-HSD1 gene expression is significantly increased the risk of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in obese individuals.