PAN AFRICAN JOURNAL OF LIFE SCIENCES
e-ISSN: 2672-5924
Volume 10, No. 1, April 2026
Pages 636-645
DOI: 10.36108/pajols/6202/01.0110
A Cross-Sectional Molecular Characterization of Omentin and Visfatin among Co-morbid Obese Patients in Lagos, Nigeria
Oluwadara H. Ajibade1*, Omonike C. Bakare1, Anike O. Ladipo2, Richard O. Okafor3.
1Department of Biological Sciences, Lead City University, Ibadan.
2University Hospital of Leicester, NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom.
3Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Lagos, Nigeria.
Abstract
Background: This study examined the molecular characteristics of two important adipokines, omentin and visfatin, in obese individuals with comorbidities in Lagos State, Nigeria. The research aimed to clarify how these adipokines, known for their roles in glucose and lipid metabolism, are connected to metabolic issues in obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among ninety-nine participants (normal, obese, and co-morbid groups, with 33 participants in each group) recruited from Shomolu General Hospital and St. Catherine Medical Diagnostic Centre. Blood samples were collected through venipuncture, and RNA was extracted using UniZol reagent. Complementary DNA was synthesised using the First-Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit, and quantitative PCR was performed targeting omentin, visfatin, and GAPDH. Relative gene expression was analyzed using the ΔΔCt method, with GAPDH as the reference gene. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical parameters, including lipid profile and random blood glucose, were obtained. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Omentin expression was significantly downregulated in obese and co-morbid obese groups (median fold change < 1; p < 0.05), while visfatin expression was strongly upregulated (median fold change ≈13 in obese and >50 in co-morbid patients, p<0.05). These trends indicated suppressed anti-inflammatory signalling and enhanced pro-inflammatory activation. Biochemically, obese and co-morbid participants showed significantly higher levels of LDL, triglycerides, and glucose levels compared to normal controls (p<0.05). A higher propor-tion of female participants and an older age distribution were observed in the obese and co-morbid obese groups, indicating population-specific vulnerability.
Conclusion: Omentin suppression and visfatin overexpression characterise molecular dysfunction in obe-sity and its comorbidities, underscoring their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for metabolic disor-ders in Nigerian populations.
Keywords: Omentin, Visfatin, Gene Expression, Obesity, Comorbidity