Investigating IGF-II and IGF2R serum markers as predictors of body weight loss following an 8-week acute weight loss intervention: PREVIEW sub-study

Background: Weight reduction is effective in preventing T2D however, weight reduction and maintenance is difficult to achieve on a population scale. Serum insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) and IGF-II receptor (IGF2R) have been associated with diabetic status and body weight in prior studies and, in addition, IGF-II has been indicated as predictive of future weight change. We measured these serum markers in participants with obesity/overweight and prediabetes from the New Zealand arm of the PREVIEW lifestyle intervention randomised trial before and after an 8-week low energy diet (LED).

Methods: Total IGF-II (n = 223) and soluble IGF2R (n = 151) were measured using commercial ELISA kits on fasted serum samples taken prior to an 8-week LED and also from participants completing the LED.

Results: IGF-II levels were not correlated with baseline body weight although mean levels did significantly decrease following the LED. Change in IGF-II serum level was correlated to fasting glucose change (p = 0.04) but not to weight change. Baseline serum IGF2R was correlated with BMI (p = 0.007) and was significantly higher in Māori compared to European Caucasian participants independent of body weight (p = 0.0016). Following LED, IGF2R change was positively associated with weight change (p = 0.02) when corrected for ethnicity. Pre-LED levels of these serum markers were not predictive of the magnitude of weight loss over the 8 weeks.

Conclusion: Neither marker was useful in predicting magnitude of short-term weight loss. IGF2R is positively associated with BMI and is higher in Māori compared to European Caucasian individuals.