title: CRP is related to higher leptin levels in minority peripubertal females regardless of adiposity levels.
abstract: Overweight is related to higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and leptin, which have been independently associated with increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and the metabolic syndrome. Elevated CRP may trigger leptin resistance by inhibiting the binding of leptin to its receptors. We cross-sectionally examined the relationship between CRP, leptin, BMI z-score, percent body fat (%BF) assessed by air plethysmography (BodPod), and insulin sensitivity (SI) and acute insulin response (AIRg) measured by intravenous glucose tolerance test in 51 Latina and African-American females (77% Latina), mean age 9.2 (±0.9) years, at either Tanner Pubertal Stage (TPS) 1 (n = 25) or TPS 2 (n = 26). Females at TPS 2 had higher BMI z-scores, %BF (23% ± 10.1 vs. 30% ± 10.0, P = 0.02), AIRg (976.7 ± 735.2 vs. 1555.3 ± 1,223 µIU/ml, P = 0.05), fasting insulin (11.0 ± 10.8 vs. 17.2 ± 13.6 µlU/ml, P = 0.00) and leptin levels (11.0 ± 7.1 vs. 19.6 ± 10.9 ng/ml, P < 0.001) than those at TPS 1. There were no ethnic differences in any of the measured variables. CRP was positively correlated with BMI z-score (P = 0.001), %BF (P = 0.006), fasting insulin and AIRg (P = 0.02), and fasting leptin (P = 0.00), and negatively correlated with SI (P = 0.05). A linear regression model showed that CRP independently explained 10% (P = 0.00) of the variance in leptin after adjusting %BF, TPS, ethnicity, habitual physical activity and SI. Hence, low-grade inflammation may contribute to prolonged leptin exposure and leptin resistance, even in healthy children.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. dmetz@usc.edu
authors: Donna
authors: D
authors: Spruijt-Metz
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Adar Emken
authors: Mishala R
authors: MR
authors: Spruijt
authors: Joyce M
authors: JM
authors: Richey
authors: Laura J
authors: LJ
authors: Berman
authors: Britni R
authors: BR
authors: Belcher
authors: Ya-Wen
authors: YW
authors: Hsu
authors: Arianna D
authors: AD
authors: McClain
authors: Christianne J
authors: CJ
authors: Lane
authors: Marc J
authors: MJ
authors: Weigensberg
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein