engleski

Leptin and small, dense LDL particles

BACKGROUND. Leptin, a peptide hormone secreted by the adipose tissue is primarily involved in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. Plasma leptin concentration is proportional to body adiposity and is markedly increased in obese individuals. Leptin exerts many potentially atherogenic effects such as induction of endothelial dysfunction, stimulation of inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells etc. We investigated the relationship between serum leptin levels and the occurrence of small dense LDL particles (pattern B) to evaluate the possible influence of this adipokine on LDL particle size distribution. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We determined serum leptin concentrations in group of 52 dyslipidemic subjects with visceral adiposity and related metabolic syndrome, and in a group of 54 healthy blood donors with normal lipid profile and normal distribution of LDL particle size. Serum leptin concentrations were determined by comercially available ELISA test (Mediagnost, Germany). LDL particle size determination was performed by gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis developed in our laboratory. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. Pathologic LDL phenotype (LDL phenotype B) was detected in 27/52 dyslipidemic patients, and the mean value of leptin concentrations in this selected subgroup of patients was 14, 5 g/L. The mean value of leptin concentrations in the whole group of dyslipidemic patient was 11, 4 g/L and in the group of controls it was 8, 1 g/L. The higher levels of leptin in selected subgroup of patients with LDL phenotype B suggest that this adipokine coud be involved in mechanisms of the small, dense LDL particles production.

leptin; LDL; atherosclerosis

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