Immunological Role of Soluble CD163 and CD248 Biomarkers in Insulin Resistance among Healthy Iraqi Adults

Gaidan, Ayad M.; Adnan, Ban B.; Aldabagh, Muhammed A.H.

doi:10.21608/ejmm.2025.437114.1960

Immunological Role of Soluble CD163 and CD248 Biomarkers in Insulin Resistance among Healthy Iraqi Adults

Articles in Press

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

Authors

¹ Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq.

² Veterinary Medicine, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq

³ Medical Research Unit, College of Medicine, University of Al-Nahrain, Baghdad, Iraq

10.21608/ejmm.2025.437114.1960

Abstract

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) is a major metabolic disturbance with associations with inflammation and impaired glucose homeostasis. Soluble CD163 and soluble CD248 are stroma- and macrophage-derived molecules that could bridge immune activation and insulin resistance. Objective: The present study was conducted to identify the serum levels of sCD163 and sCD248, and their association with insulin resistance in apparently healthy Iraqi adults. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was undertaken on 98 euglycemic non-diabetic adults (≥45 years). Participants were categorized according to HOMA-IR values (≤3 = insulin-sensitive, >3 = insulin-resistant). Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured, and serum concentrations of sCD163 and sCD248 were determined with ELISA kits. Results: Insulin resistance was present in 25 patients (25.5%). Both sCD163 and sCD248 concentrations were higher in IR individuals than in insulin-sensitive individuals (p < 0.05). Both biomarkers were found to be positively correlated with HOMA-IR and fasting insulin, indicating their implication in metabolic inflammation. Conclusion: Elevated serum sCD163 and sCD248 can serve as an early immunological indicator of insulin resistance in apparently healthy individuals. Monitoring them might be helpful in identifying subclinical metabolic risk.

Keywords