Cerebrospinal fluid leptin levels in preeclampsia: relation to maternal serum leptin levels.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and circulating levels of leptin differ between women with preeclampsia and women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy.


METHODS
Maternal serum and CSF leptin concentrations obtained in the third trimester of the gestation were compared in 16 women with mild preeclampsia and 23 normotensive pregnant women who underwent cesarean section. Before administering local anesthetic for spinal anesthesia, 2 mL CSF and 4 mL venous blood sample were taken and were stored at -30 degrees C until serum and CSF leptin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Mean CSF leptin concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups (preeclampsia 9.7 +/- 4.2 ng/mL, normotensive 13.6 +/- 4.3 ng/mL, p = 0.952). Similarly, mean serum leptin concentrations were similar between the two groups (mild preeclampsia 21.7 +/- 7.1 ng/mL, normotensive 18.3 +/- 6.7 ng/mL, p = 0.698). CSF leptin levels are inversely related to the serum leptin concentrations in preeclamptic patients (r = -0.87, p = 0.000). An inverse relationship was also detected between CSF and serum leptin levels in normotensive pregnant subjects (r = -0.66, p = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
CSF and serum leptin levels were similar in patients with preeclampsia and normotensive pregnant women. However, the CSF leptin was negatively correlated with the serum leptin concentrations in preeclamptic and normotensive control subjects, suggesting that leptin enters the brain by a saturable transport system. Further work is needed to confirm our findings.
Celik
Onder
O
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inonu University, School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. oncelik@inonu.edu.tr
Hascalik
Seyma
S
Ozerol
Elif
E
Hascalik
Mehmet
M
Yologlu
Saim
S
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
D020738:Leptin