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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2017; 125(08): 571-576
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-101793
Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Amelioration of Insulin Resistance in Salt Loading Subjects by Potassium Supplementation is Associated with a Reduction in Plasma IL-17A Levels

Wen Wen
1   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
,
Zhaofei Wan
1   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
,
Dong Zhou
1   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
,
Juan Zhou
1   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
2   Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
,
Zuyi Yuan
1   Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
2   Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
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Further Information

Publication History

received   05 October 2015
first decision 23 January 2016

accepted    27 January 2016

Publication Date:
19 September 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Background High dietary salt intake contributes to the development of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases including metabolic syndrome (MetS) which potassium supplementation can potentially reverse. T helper (Th) 17 cells as well as its production interleukin (IL)-17A are involved in the pathogenesis of MetS. The polarization of Th17 cells and enhanced IL-17A production induced by high salt might increase the risk of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases.

Methods 45 normotensive subjects (aged 29 to 65 years) were enrolled from a rural community of Northern China at random. All of the participants were maintained on a low-salt (3 g/day) diet for 7 days, a high-salt (18 g/day) diet for 7 days, and then a high-salt diet with potassium supplementation (4.5 g/day, KCl) for another 7 days. Insulin resistance (IR) was determined based on the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR).

Results Participants exhibited increased plasma insulin level, as well as progressed HOMA-IR, during a high-salt diet intervention, which potassium supplementation reversed. Moreover, after salt loading, the plasma IL-17A concentrations increased significantly (4.2±2.1 pg/mL to 9.7±5.1 pg/mL; P<0.01), whereas dropped considerably when dietary potassium was supplemented (9.7±5.1 pg/mL to 2.0±0.9 pg/mL; P<0.001). Statistically significant correlations were found between changes in HOMA-IR and changes in plasma IL-17A concentrations during the interventions (low- to high-salt: r=0.642, P<0.01; high-salt to potassium supplementation: r=0.703, P<0.01). Based on multivariate regression analysis, plasma IL-17A showed as an independent predictor of IR.

Conclusions The amelioration of salt-loading-induced IR by potassium supplementation in participants may be related to the reduction in plasma IL-17A concentration.

Key words

insulin resistance - Th17 - IL-17A - high salt consumption - potassium supplementation

Supplementary Material

 

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