Associations between anthropometric parameters and immune-phenotypical characteristics of circulating Tregs and serum cytokines

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between several anthropometric parameters and regulatory T cells (Tregs) and circulating cytokines in a population-based cohort. METHODS: Between 2018 and 2021, a total of 238 participants were examined up to three times within the scope of the MEGA study in Augsburg, Germany. Tregs were analyzed using flow cytometry and the serum concentrations of 52 cytokines were determined. Anthropometric parameters were measured, using also bioelectrical impedance analysis: body mass index (BMI), relative total body fat, relative visceral adipose tissue (rVAT), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body fat distribution. Associations were analyzed using linear mixed models with random intercept (Tregs) and conventional linear regression models (cytokines). RESULTS: WC and WHR were inversely associated with the general Treg subset. Four parameters (BMI, rVAT, WC, and WHR) were inversely associated with the conventional Treg population. Three cytokines showed a particularly strong association with several anthropometric parameters: the cutaneous T-cell attracting chemokine was inversely associated with anthropometric parameters, while hepatocyte growth factor and interleukine-18 showed positive associations. CONCLUSIONS: Anthropometric measures are associated with Tregs and serum cytokine concentrations revealing new important interconnections between obesity and the adaptive immune system. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00011-023-01777-1.