# Cytokine Profiling in Pediatric Obesity

> **NIH NIH P20** · ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL RES INST · 2021 · $292,337

## Abstract

Targeting PBMC bioenergetics is a strongly supported strategy for modulating inflammation and preventing 
progression from obesity to type 2 diabetes. Our preliminary data show metabolic differences between 
resting PBMCs in unhealthy obese adults compared to children, which is not surprising given evidence of 
fundamental differences in the physiology of obesity comorbidities in adults compared to children. 
Comparing PBMC bioenergetics and cytokine profiles of obese insulin sensitive (IS) and insulin resistant 
(IR) children, and profiles from obese children to obese adults is vital to define endpoints for future 
mechanistic studies on pathological inflammation in obese kids, and to suggest new therapeutic targets to 
halt inflammatory comorbidities in childhood obesity. We hypothesize that compared to insulin sensitive 
children, stimulated PBMCs from overweight/obese IR children will exhibit altered bioenergetics (e.g. 
elevated glycolysis and/or reduced OXPHOS and FAO), and they will produce inflammatory profiles that 
differ from both IS children and obese IR/T2D adults. In aim 1, we will test the hypothesis that stimulationinduced 
alterations in PBMCs bioenergetics change in children based on obesity and insulin sensitivity. We 
will leverage blood samples collected from an ongoing study and measure the difference mitochondrial 
respiration, glycolysis, and fatty acid oxidation PBMCs between resting and stimulated states from 30 
children spanning the spectrum of BMI percentiles and insulin sensitivity. We will also conduct RNA 
sequencing on paired stimulated and unstimulated PBMC samples from a subset of the cohort. In aim 2, 
we will test the hypothesis that PBMC inflammatory profiles differentiate children based on obesity and 
insulin sensitivity. Partial least squares regressions of BMI and insulin sensitivity measures on 
combinatorial cytokine profiles of PBMCs from the 30 children will identify those cytokines that best 
distinguish children based on obesity and insulin sensitivity. Defining PBMC bioenergetic alterations and 
cytokine profiles in children based on obesity and insulin sensitivity will provide critical preliminary data to 
refine mechanistic studies and identify specific metabolic pathways to target as novel treatment strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10459145
- **Project number:** 2P20GM109096-06
- **Recipient organization:** ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL RES INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Shannon Rose
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $292,337
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10459145

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10459145, Cytokine Profiling in Pediatric Obesity (2P20GM109096-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10459145. Licensed CC0.

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