An increase of circulating leptin in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Leptin, the ob gene product, is an anorexigenic peptide secreted from adipose tissue. However, the mechanism of leptin clearance/degradation has not been well determined in humans. The present study was undertaken to examine a possible involvement of liver in determining circulating leptin concentrations in humans.

SUBJECTS: In the present study 58 healthy control subjects and 68 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) without any renal dysfunction were randomly included.

METHOD: The serum immunoreactive leptin (IRL) concentrations relative to the body mass index (BMI) were determined. Serum IRL and estradiol (E₂) concentrations were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTS: The correlations between the BMI and circulating IRL concentrations were all significant in male healthy controls (M-C), male patients with LC (M-LC), female healthy controls (F-C) and female patients with LC (F-LC). Circulating IRL concentrations were significantly higher than control in F-LC but not M-LC groups. The ratio of circulating IRL concentrations to the BMI was significantly higher in the M-LC group than in the M-C group and also significantly higher in the F-LC group than in the F-C group. The correlation between the IRL/BMI ratio and serum total bilirubin concentrations was significant (r=0.417, P<0.05) in the M-LC group, but not in the F-LC group. There was no significant correlation of the IRL/BMI ratio to serum E₂ or albumin concentrations in either M-LC or F-LC groups.

CONCLUSION: The present data demonstrated that the rate of increase in circulating IRL concentrations with the BMI was higher in LC patients of both genders. Liver may play a role in determining circulating leptin levels.