title: Leptin in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: The past twenty years of research on leptin has provided crucial information on the link between metabolic state and immune system function. Adipocytes influence not only the endocrine system but also the immune response, through several cytokine-like mediators known as adipokines, which include leptin. Initially described as an antiobesity hormone, leptin has subsequently been shown also to influence hematopoiesis, thermogenesis, reproduction, angiogenesis, and more importantly immune homeostasis. As a cytokine, leptin can affect thymic homeostasis and the secretion of acute-phase reactants such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Leptin links nutritional status and proinflammatory T helper 1 (Th1) immune responses and the decrease in leptin plasma concentration during food deprivation leads to impaired immune function. Conversely, elevated circulating leptin levels in obesity appear to contribute to the low-grade inflammatory background which makes obese individuals more susceptible to increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, or degenerative disease including autoimmunity and cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances on the role of leptin in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders that may be of particular relevance in the modulation of the autoimmune attack through metabolic-based therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Immunologia, Istituto di Endocrinologia e Oncologia Sperimentale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IEOS-CNR) c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Procaccini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", 80131 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pucino
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Boston VA Healthcare System, Jamaica Plain, MA; Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University, 72 Evans Street, Boston, MA 02217, USA.
authors.forename: Christos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mantzoros
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Salerno, Baronissi Campus, 84081 Baronissi, Salerno, Italy; IRCCS-MultiMedica, 20138 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: gmatarese@unisa.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matarese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin
keywords: Autoimmunity; Leptin; Metabolism; T cells