Circulating SULT1A2 and SH2B1 vary across adiposity phenotypes, and baseline SH2B1 showed a male-specific exploratory association with early weight-loss response, although this finding was not independent of age and BMI.
Serum SULT1A2 and SH2B1 levels varied significantly across BMI groups in the first cohort of 223 patients.
Both SULT1A2 and SH2B1 were elevated in the overweight group compared with the normal weight group.
The obese group had lower SULT1A2 and SH2B1 levels than the overweight group, with no significant differences versus the normal weight group.
SULT1A2 exhibited no association with weight loss response across both sexes in the 4-week intermittent fasting cohort.
Male participants with greater weight loss had significantly higher baseline serum SH2B1 levels than those with lesser weight loss, but this association did not persist after multivariable adjustment.
No significant difference in baseline SH2B1 levels was observed between greater and lesser weight loss groups in female participants.
The authors conclude that SH2B1 is a candidate peripheral marker warranting further investigation in larger, independent cohorts.
This research suggests that two proteins found in the blood — SULT1A2 and SH2B1 — behave differently depending on a person's weight category. In a group of 223 people, both proteins were highest in those who were overweight (but not obese), and lower in people of normal weight and in obese individuals. This non-linear pattern hints that these proteins may play a role in how the body manages energy at different stages of weight gain, though the study was not designed to establish cause and effect. The study also examined whether baseline levels of these proteins could predict how well people would respond to a 4-week intermittent fasting program in a separate group of 49 participants. Among men, those who lost 5% or more of their body weight had notably higher starting SH2B1 levels than those who lost less — a difference with a large effect size. However, this association disappeared once the researchers accounted for participants' age and starting BMI, meaning SH2B1 alone did not independently predict weight loss success. No meaningful association was seen in women, and SULT1A2 was not linked to weight loss outcomes in either sex. The researchers are careful to describe this as a hypothesis-generating study, meaning its purpose is to identify leads for future research rather than draw firm conclusions. The small sample sizes — particularly only 49 people in the weight loss portion — limit confidence in the findings. This research suggests that SH2B1 in particular may be worth investigating further in larger studies to determine whether it could eventually serve as a biological marker related to weight management, especially in men.
Upload your bloodwork. We'll cross-reference your results against this study and 4,700 others.
Upload Your LabsLv H, Shi G, Ye Y, Yang Z, Yang J, Zhang M. (2026). Serum SH2B1 and SULT1A2 in relation to adiposity and early weight-loss response: a hypothesis-generating study.. Frontiers in endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1873732