Introductions: High levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha)-cytokine produced by adipocytes, are involved in the development of obesity-related insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, we investigated whether the polymorphism of TNF-alpha-308 gene can predict the conversion from insulin resistance and obesity parameters in children with obesity. THE STUDY comprised 72 children with obesity simplex (9-18 y.o). The following anthropometric parameters: weight, height, BMI, SDS for BMI, WHR, sum of 3, 10 skinfolds and percentage of body fat by Slaughter's equation were calculated. In each child, after 12 hour overnight fast, glucose, insulin, leptin and lipids: triglycerides (Tg), cholesterol total (Chol-T), cholesterol HDL (Chol-HDL), cholesterol LDL (Chol-LDL) were measured. The oral glucose tolerance test was performed and HOMA-IR was calculated.
Results: Using the technique of PCR-RELP and SSCP, three variants of genotype TNF-alpha were obtained: G/G-68%, A/G-29%, A/A-3%. Statistical analysis of anthropometric, biochemical and leptin variables in groups G/G, vs. A/G +A/A, in boys and girls was performed. We did not find any significant differences between groups (G/G vs. A/G +A/A in all group, and between G/G girls, boys vs A/G +A/A girls, boys) Our data indicate that in smaller children studies, TNF-alpha polymorphism does not seem not to be associated with the degree of obesity and insulin resistance.