Reduced plasma adiponectin and elevated leptin in pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the role of adipocytokine, adiponectin, and leptin in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE) and determine the relationships between plasma adiponectin and leptin levels.


METHODS
A total of 73 women in the third trimester of pregnancy were recruited, 53 women with PE (study patients) and 20 age- and BMI-matched normotensive women (healthy controls). They were divided into 3 groups: the 20 normotensive pregnant women (group 1); 32 women with mild pre-eclampsia (group 2); and 21 women with severe pre-eclampsia (group 3). The plasma levels of adiponectin and leptin are measured simultaneously and their correlation and balance were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, levels of adiponectin were significantly lower in women with mild or severe PE (P<0.01 for both groups) whereas levels of leptin were significantly higher in women with mild or severe PE (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). There was a negative correlation between plasma levels of adiponectin and leptin in pre-eclamptic women (r=-0.76, P<0.01). Moreover, the adiponectin level to leptin level ratio was significantly lower in pre-eclamptic women than that in healthy controls (P<0.01). In the pre-eclamptic women serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly increased (P<0.01 for all), while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly decreased compared to levels in normotensive pregnant women (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that there is an imbalance between adiponectin and leptin in the plasma of pre-eclamptic women. Reduced adiponectin and elevated leptin levels may be involved in the pathogenesis of PE and associated with the development of severe disease.
Ouyang
Yanqiong
Y
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. wuhan_ouyang@126.com
Chen
Hanping
H
Chen
Huizhen
H
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin