Hyperleptinemia is associated with parameters of low-grade systemic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in obese human beings

Abstract

Leptin is an adipose tissue-derived hormone that has been involved in hypothalamic and systemic inflammation, altered food-intake patterns, and metabolic dysfunction in obese mice. However, it remains unclear whether leptin has a relationship with parameters of systemic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in humans. We thus evaluated in a cross-sectional study the circulating levels of leptin in 40 non-obese and 41 obese Mexican individuals, examining their relationship with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) 12, IL-10, central obesity, serum glucose and insulin levels, and serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations. Circulating levels of leptin, TNF-α, IL-12, IL-10, and insulin were measured by ELISA, while concentrations of glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol were determined by enzymatic assays. As expected, serum levels of leptin exhibited a significant elevation in obese individuals as compared to non-obese subjects, showing a clear association with increased body mass index (r = 0.4173), central obesity (r = 0.4678), and body fat percentage (r = 0.3583). Furthermore, leptin also showed a strong relationship with serum TNF-α (r = 0.6989), IL-12 (r = 0.3093), and IL-10 (r = −0.5691). Interestingly, leptin was also significantly related with high concentrations of fasting glucose (r = 0.5227) and insulin (r = 0.2229), as well as elevated levels of insulin resistance (r = 0.3611) and circulating triglyceride (r = 0.4135). These results suggest that hyperleptinemia is strongly associated with the occurrence of low-grade systemic inflammation and metabolic alteration in obese subjects. Further clinical research is still needed to determine whether hyperleptinemia may be a potential marker for recognizing the advent of obesity-related metabolic disorders in human beings.

Hyperleptinemia - an independent predictor of metabolic syndrome in the adult population in Kerala, India

“…In contrast, many studies have investigated these relationships in obese and normal individuals. 22 In the present study the increase in BMI from the first to forth quartile of leptin levels was statistically significant (p<0.000), indicating the role of leptin as a biomarker of obesity. With the exception of HDL-cholesterol, the study variables showed a statistically significant increase from the first to the forth quartile of leptin levels.…”

The effects of fat distribution and some adipokines on insulin resistance

“…In some of them leptin levels were positively related with IR [17][18], but in others no statistical significances were reached [19]. In the present study, we did not reach any difference in leptin levels between groups.…”

“…The correlation of leptin levels with IR has been studied in many reports [17][18][19]. In some of them leptin levels were positively related with IR [17][18], but in others no statistical significances were reached [19].…”

Relación de la hiperuricemia con las lipoproteínas de baja densidad, las pruebas de funcionamiento hepático y los marcadores de inflamación sistémica en pacientes con obesidad mórbida

“…Por otro lado, se ha descrito que la leptina incrementa los niveles de AU 41 , teniendo relevancia ya que en los sujetos con obesidad mórbida se ha descrito la presencia de hiperleptinemia, aunque no se ha precisado el mecanismo por el cual esto acontece 42 . El AU mostró una tendencia no significativa a ser mayor en los sujetos que además tenían SMet, y a su vez estos pacientes con obesidad mórbida mostraron los valores más altos de PCR y TNF-α, y más bajos de IL-10.…”