Interleukin-38 increases the insulin sensitivity in children with the type 2 diabetes

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing in the children population. It is well known that inflammation contributes to the type 2 DM pathogenesis. Interleukin 38 (IL-38) is one newly identified anti-inflammatory factor. Therefore, we investigated whether the expression level of IL-38 is associated with type 2 DM in the children and the underlying mechanism. Children with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited and studied. The healthy subjects without glucose metabolism abnormalities were used as controls. The IL-38 expression level was determined by quantitative PCR and ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunoassay). Statistic analysis showed that the IL-38 level was significantly associated with type 2 DM and insulin resistance in the children. The patients were then divided into two groups, one group sensitive to insulin therapy while the other resistant to insulin therapy. Data showed that the IL-38 was highly expressed in the group sensitive to insulin therapy. In the mice model, overexpressing the IL-38 could suppress the expression of IL-36, a pro-inflammatory factor, and also the diabetes development. Thus our results showed that higher IL-38 was associated with the increased insulin sensitive in children with type 2 DM and inhibited T2DM development in the mouse model through suppressing the function of IL-36.