An increase of circulating leptin in patients with liver cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
Leptin, the ob gene product, is an anorexigenic peptide secreted from adipose tissue. However, the mechanism of leptin clearance/degradation has not been well determined in humans. The present study was undertaken to examine a possible involvement of liver in determining circulating leptin concentrations in humans.


METHODS
In the present study 58 healthy control subjects and 68 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) without any renal dysfunction were randomly included.


METHODS
The serum immunoreactive leptin (IRL) concentrations relative to the body mass index (BMI) were determined. Serum IRL and estradiol (E2) concentrations were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA).


RESULTS
The correlations between the BMI and circulating IRL concentrations were all significant in male healthy controls (M-C), male patients with LC (M-LC), female healthy controls (F-C) and female patients with LC (F-LC). Circulating IRL concentrations were significantly higher than control in F-LC but not M-LC groups. The ratio of circulating IRL concentrations to the BMI was significantly higher in the M-LC group than in the M-C group and also significantly higher in the F-LC group than in the F-C group. The correlation between the IRL/BMI ratio and serum total bilirubin concentrations was significant (r = 0.417, P < 0.05) in the M-LC group, but not in the F-LC group. There was no significant correlation of the IRL/BMI ratio to serum E2 or albumin concentrations in either M-LC or F-LC groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data demonstrated that the rate of increase in circulating IRL concentrations with the BMI was higher in LC patients of both genders. Liver may play a role in determining circulating leptin levels.
Shimizu
H
H
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kakizaki
S
S
Tsuchiya
T
T
Nagamine
T
T
Takagi
H
H
Takayama
H
H
Kobayashi
I
I
Mori
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D020738:Leptin; D011506:Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D004958:Estradiol; D001663:Bilirubin