Comparative Assessment of Serum and Salivary IL-39 Levels in Obese Individuals with and without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Document Type : New and original researches in the field of Microbiology.

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Department of Basic Science in Oral Microbiology, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad

10.21608/ejmm.2025.400408.1753

Abstract

Background: Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are chronic metabolic conditions frequently associated with systemic inflammation. Interleukin-39 (IL-39), a recently proposed IL-12 family cytokine, has been implicated in inflammatory signaling, although its contribution in obesity and T2DM remains ill-defined. Objective: The aim of the stydy to compare serum and salivary IL-39 levels in obese adults with and without T2DM versus healthy controls, and to appraise IL-39 as a candidate biomarker of metabolic inflammation. Methodology: In a case–control design, 90 participants (35–50 years) were assigned equally to three groups: obese without T2DM, obese with T2DM, and healthy controls. Unstimulated saliva and serum were obtained, and IL-39 was quantified using a commercial sandwich ELISA. BMI, HbA1c, and RBS were also recorded. Results: Across matrices, IL-39 was highest in T2DM, intermediate in obesity, and lowest in controls serum: 0.81±0.10, 0.45±0.05, 0.22±0.05 pg/ml; saliva: 0.76±0.11, 0.44±0.05, 0.20±0.05 pg/ml; omnibus P=0.0001. IL-39 in both fluids correlated positively with BMI and glycemic indices. In logistic models, IL-39 was not retained as an independent predictor. Conclusion: IL-39 is elevated in obesity and T2DM, consistent with an inflammatory response accompanying metabolic dysregulation. Although IL-39 correlates with BMI and glycemic status, it did not demonstrate independent predictive value in this cohort.

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