T Cells and Natural Killer Cells, but Not B Cells or Antibodies, are Affected in Overweight and Obese Saudi Females

Sawsan Hassan Mahassni 

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author E-mail: sawsanmahassni@hotmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/2769

ABSTRACT: Saudi Arabia has one of the highest adult overweight and obesity rates, especially in females, leading to increased mortality, morbidity, infections, and risk for many diseases. This study determined the counts and percents of lymphocyte subtypes (CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD16 +CD56 cells) and serum IgG, IgA, and IgM concentrations in blood samples collected from sixty-four Saudi female university employees with an age range of 24-52 years. There is only one other study on the counts/numbers of lymphocyte subtypes in overweight and obese Saudi females. Anthropometric measurements were used to categorize the subjects into groups according to the body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist circumference (WC). Results were all compared to the controls. Antibody concentrations were not significantly different. The CD3and CD4 counts were significantly higher for the obese BMI group and the overweight and obese BMI, respectively. The high-risk WHR group had a significantly lower CD 3% and a significantly higher CD16 + CD56 count. The high-risk WC group had significantly higher CD3 and CD4 counts and a significantly lower CD16 + CD56%. Thus, obesity leads to changes in the cellular adaptive and innate immune systems, while not affecting the humoral adaptive immune system.

KEYWORDS: Adaptive Immunity; Antibodies; Innate Immunity; Obesity; Overweight; Saudi Females

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