title: Inter-organ leptin exchange in humans.
abstract: To assess the individual role of splanchnic organs, kidney, and peripheral tissues on leptin metabolism, leptin exchange across the splanchnic bed, kidney, and leg has been evaluated by the arterio-venous technique in post-absorptive non-obese subjects. Leptin levels in the hepatic and renal veins were significantly lower (p < 0.001), while femoral vein levels were consistently greater (p < 0.05) than in the artery. The fractional extraction of leptin, namely the percentage of arterial leptin extracted, was greater in splanchnic organs (16%) than in the kidney (9.5%). Urinary excretion of leptin was undetectable in most subjects, indicating that leptin is degraded within the kidney. There was no correlation between fractional extraction of leptin and glomerular filtration rate, whereas leptin fractional extraction was directly related to renal plasma flow (p = 0.017). Renal leptin clearance was about 50% of the glomerular filtration rate. Our data demonstrate that both splanchnic organs and the kidney cooperate in the disposal of leptin, while peripheral tissues add significant amounts of leptin to the circulation. In non-obese subjects the contribution of the kidney to whole body clearance is no more than 50%. The removal of leptin by the kidney depends on renal plasma flow but not on glomerular filtration rate or filtered leptin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Genoa University, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garibotto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robaudo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saffioti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sofia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rolandi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deferrari
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barreca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D020738:Leptin; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017595:Renal Plasma Flow; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D011506:Proteins