Tulin BAYRAK, Duygu KADIOGLU, Gulsen SENER, Esra Deniz KAHVECIOGLU, Ahmet BAYRAK, Zeynep BAYRAM
The Atlantic Journal of Medical Science and Research - 2026;6(2):165-171
Aim: Obesity is a chronic health problem characterized by excess fat accumulation. This study aimed to assess the levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated Tribbles homolog 3 (TRB3), oxidative stress-associated Sestrin 2 (SESN2), paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity, and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in obese, overweight, and normal-weight individuals, and to investigate their relationship with obesity. Materials and Methods: The study enrolled 172 individuals, who were classified into normal-weight, overweight, and obese groups based on their BMI. TRB3 and SESN2 levels were measured using ELISA, and PON1 activity was assessed using spectrophotometric methods. Results: Obese participants exhibited reduced PON1 activity and SESN2 levels compared with normal-weight individuals (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). AIP values were elevated in both obese and overweight individuals (p=0.002). Additionally, men had higher AIP values than women (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our study shows that SESN2 and PON1 levels are decreased, whereas AIP levels are increased in obese individuals. These findings suggest that the increased cardiometabolic risk in obesity may be related to oxidative stress and lipid imbalance. Moreover, the elevated AIP levels observed in men compared to women emphasize the need to account for sex in evaluating atherosclerotic risk.
