title: Circulating leptin is associated with oxidized LDL in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Recently, leptin has been suggested as a possible cause of atherosclerotic disease. In the present study, we have investigated in postmenopausal women (n = 60; age: 52 +/- 13) the relationship between circulating levels of leptin, oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) and other biochemical and anthropometric variables of atherosclerotic risk. In addition, we have evaluated soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) as a marker of endothelial damage. An additional study was conducted in a subgroup of obese subjects to determine the short-term effects of weight loss on selected variables. Ox-LDL showed a positive correlation with leptin circulating levels (r = 0.65, P < 0.0001). A significant association was also found between Ox-LDL and body mass index (r = 0.69, P < 0.0001), waist-to-hip ratio (r = 0.50, P < 0.0001), insulin levels (r = 0.65, P < 0.0001), HOMA index (r = 0.55, p < 0.0001) and sTM (r = 0.74, P < 0.0001) levels. After multivariate regression analysis leptin was still related to Ox-LDL levels (P = 0.007). In obese women who completed the program of weight reduction, leptin changes persisted as a significant predictor of plasma changes in Ox-LDL levels. These findings suggested a novel link between leptin and Ox-LDL, possibly involved in atherosclerotic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Aging, G. D'Annunzio Foundation, Medical School, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini, 66013 Chieti, Italy. eporreca@unich.it
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Porreca
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Febbo
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moretta
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelini
authors.forename: Maria Domenica
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Nisio
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuccurullo
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D012307:Risk Factors; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: C515448:LEPR protein, human; D020738:Leptin; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D018180:Thrombomodulin; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein