Long-term plasma levels of leptin and adiponectin in Rett syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Rett syndrome is a progressive neurological disorder affecting almost exclusively females after age 6 months and characterised by acquired microcephaly, psychomotor retardation, growth failure, purposeless hand movements, autistic-like behaviour and wide-based and stiff legged gait. Leptin and adiponectin, peptides secreted by adipose tissue, are involved in the regulation of body weight and energy expenditure.


METHODS
We investigated in patients with Rett syndrome the variations of plasma leptin and adiponectin and their relation over a 2-year period. Sixteen female patients, mean age at the basal time 9.4 +/- 4.3 years, with classical Rett syndrome were enrolled. Controls were 16 healthy female subjects, mean age at the basal time 9.9 +/- 3.4 years.


METHODS
Blood samples were withdrawn in the morning at the baseline, 12 months after and 24 months after; plasma leptin and adiponectin concentrations were detected by ELISA.


RESULTS
In patients, leptin concentrations significantly increased, while adiponectin concentrations significantly decreased. Both leptin and adiponectin values were significantly higher than those found in controls at each time. Leptin significantly correlated with adiponectin in patients, while there was not a significant correlation in controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Since all patients were not obese, we might hypothesize that in Rett syndrome leptin and adiponectin might participate to clinical manifestations other than weight balance.
Blardi
P
P
Center of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. blardi@unisi.it
de Lalla
A
A
D'Ambrogio
T
T
Vonella
G
G
Ceccatelli
L
L
Auteri
A
A
Hayek
J
J
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin; C497392:MECP2 protein, human; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2