Changes in plasma levels of fat-derived hormones adiponectin, leptin, resistin and visfatin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition characterised by polyarthritis and severe change in body mass and neuroendocrine environment. Objectives: To investigate plasma levels of adipocytokines (leptin, adiponectin, visfatin and resistin) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to compare them with levels in healthy controls. Methods: Adiponectin, resistin, visfatin and leptin concentrations were measured in 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 18 healthy controls by using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed considerably higher plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin than healthy controls. No marked difference was observed in resistin levels between patients and controls. Conclusion: A marked increase in plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin and visfatin was noted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whereas resistin levels were similar to those observed in healthy controls. Coordinated roles for adiponectin, leptin and visfatin are suggested in the modulation of the inflammatory environment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whereas the lack of modulation in resistin levels is predictive of an irrelevant role for this peptide, suggesting that resistin level is probably not one of the main signals associated with the pathogenesis of this disease.

Leptin in immuno-rheumatological diseases

“…57,72 Serum levels of leptin have generally been reported to be higher in patients with RA than in control subjects. 70,71,73 Bokarewa et al also observed that circulating plasma concentrations of leptin were significantly higher than matched synovial fluid sample leptin levels. Local consumption of leptin in the joint cavity was associated with nonerosive joint disease, suggesting that leptin has a protective role against the destructive course of RA.…”

“…70,71 In these subjects, it has been reported that acute fasting induces an improvement of different clinical and biological measures of disease activity associated with a fall in circulating leptin, which is related to CD4 lymphocyte hyporeactivity and increased IL-4 secretion. 72 However, the same investigators showed that after a 7-day ketogenic diet in patients with RA, there were no significant changes in any clinical or biological measurements of disease activity, despite a significant increase in serum leptin concentrations.…”

Adiponectin and leptin serum concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

“…Leptin concentrations were found to be similar [12,13,14,15,16], lower [17], or higher [18,19] in comparison with healthy controls or with pts with osteoarthritis (OA) [20]. Plasma levels of adiponectin, leptin and visfatin were found to be increased in RA pts [21] or did not differ significantly in RA pts and in healthy controls [22].…”

Cardiometabolic comorbidities and rheumatic diseases: Focus on the role of fat mass and adipokines

“…This idea is underpinned by several in vivo and in vitro findings: in RA patients, circulating leptin levels have been found to be higher than in healthy controls (33,34); however, other studies reported unchanged levels. Low leptin levels associated with food restriction have been linked to CD4ϩ lymphocyte hyporeactivity and increased interleukin-4 (IL-4) secretion (35).…”

“…Adiponectin has been found to be higher in RA patients than in healthy controls (34,(77)(78)(79)(80)(81). Moreover, adiponectin levels are increased in early RA patients that had never taken disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and in chronic RA patients (82).…”