Rheumatoid Factor as a Metabolic Biomarker: Emerging Links Between Autoantibody Biology, Insulin Resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes
Odile Patrick Thalia
Faculty of Biological Sciences Kampala International University Uganda
ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid factor (RF), traditionally regarded as a serological marker of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is increasingly recognized for its broader relevance in systemic inflammatory states. Accumulating evidence suggests that RF positivity may reflect underlying metabolic inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune dysregulation—core mechanisms also implicated in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This review synthesizes current knowledge on the emerging role of RF as a potential metabolic biomarker. It examines biochemical mechanisms through which chronic inflammation, redox imbalance, altered B-cell tolerance, adipokine signaling, and post-translational protein modifications may promote RF generation outside autoimmune disease. Furthermore, we discuss epidemiological observations linking RF positivity with obesity, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and increased risk of T2DM. We also evaluate how RF-associated immune activation may exacerbate metabolic dysfunction through pathways involving TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, and oxidative damage. Lastly, the review outlines clinical implications for screening, risk stratification, and personalized therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation-driven metabolic disease. Understanding RF as a metabolic signal rather than a disease-specific autoantibody may expand its utility in the early identification of individuals at risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Keywords: Rheumatoid factor, autoimmunity, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, type 2 diabetes
CITE AS: Odile Patrick Thalia (2026). Rheumatoid Factor as a Metabolic Biomarker: Emerging Links Between Autoantibody Biology, Insulin Resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes. IDOSR JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 12(1):1-6. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JST/26/113.160000