Lipolysis, fatness, gender and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy, normal-weight subjects.
BACKGROUND
Relationship between plasma leptin and adiposity and gender has been reported in adults. Effects of age on plasma leptin is unclear and regulation of leptin production by white adipose tissue is still poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
To study if age and parameters of lipolysis are related to plasma leptin concentrations.


METHODS
Seventy-seven healthy, normal-weight subjects (age range 19-82 y.) had measurements of body composition (18oxygen dilution technique) and of fasting plasma levels of leptin, glycerol, and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA).


RESULTS
Plasma leptin was correlated to NEFA (r = 0.28) and glycerol (r = 0.48) concentrations. The relationship between %fat and plasma leptin was best fitted by an exponential (r2 = 0.82). In multiple regression %fat, body mass index, glycerol, and gender, but not fat mass, age or NEFA contributed independently to the variation in log plasma leptin. Log plasma leptin was higher in women than in men for a given glycerol concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
Adiposity, lipolysis, and gender are related to plasma leptin in healthy humans.
Morio
B
B
Laboratoire de Nutrition Humaine, Centre de Recherche en Nutrition, Humaine-Auvergene, Clermont-Ferrand, France. morio@clermont.inra.fr
Gachon
A M
AM
Boirie
Y
Y
Rousset
P
P
Gachon
P
P
Beaufrère
B
B
Ritz
P
P
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005990:Glycerol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin; D008066:Lipolysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D020738:Leptin; D011506:Proteins; D005990:Glycerol