High serum leptin and adiponectin levels as biomarkers of disease progression in Egyptian patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objectives: Leptin and adiponectin are adipose-derived immune modulators (adipokines) that may contribute to SLE pathology and symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of serum adiponectin and leptin with clinical manifestations and disease activity in SLE patients. Methods: This is a case control study, where 70 SLE patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled from the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department of Beni-Suef University Hospital from June 2020 till April 2022. The SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborative clinics/America Collage of Rheumatology damage index were used to assess disease severity. Laboratory parameters including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum concentrations of antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-double stranded DNA, complement 3 and 4, lipids, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured and compared between SLE and control groups. Serum adiponectin and leptin were also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results: Compared to healthy controls, SLE patients exhibited significantly greater serum leptin (21.1 vs 3.9 ng/mL, p < 0.001) and adiponectin (18.1 vs 4.8 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and both values were positively correlated with SLEDAI scores ( p = 0.048 and 0.042). Higher serum leptin was significantly associated with lupus nephritis (LN) ( p = 0.048) as well as greater body mass index ( p = 0.010), ESR ( p = 0.002), serum CRP ( p = 0.003), total cholesterol ( p = 0.013), and uric acid ( p = 0.002), while higher adiponectin was significantly associated with LN ( p = 0.046). Conclusion: Serum leptin and adiponectin levels are associated with the clinical and pathological manifestations of SLE, suggesting direct involvement in disease progression and utility as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Platelet (PLT), eosinophil (EOS), and albumin (ALB) are useful indicators for evaluating the risk of developing lupus nephritis (LN) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Running head: indicators for evaluating the risk of developing lupus nephritis

“…Although the activation of ALB was reported to be associated with disease progression, the ALB is decreased during the active stage of LN [29]. ALB was found to not be independently inversely associated with the presence and severity of LN, as evidenced by increased adiponectin and serum leptin [30]. Data from a study of 182 LN patients who underwent prebiopsy blood tests demonstrated that serum albumin showed a signi cantly decreased serum albumin (P = 0.048) and lower platelet count (P = 0.03) compared to the non-LN group [28].…”

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients with DNASE1L3·Deficiency Have a Distinctive and Specific Genic Circular DNA Profile in Plasma

“…Since the elevation of proinflammatory cytokines is a common mechanism of SLE activity and obesity, MetS may be an important factor bridging chronic systemic inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE. The role of adipokines, such as leptin and adiponectin, in SLE remains unclear, though high serum leptin and adiponectin levels are biomarkers of disease progression in SLE [ 36 ]. Another significant Harmonizome term was ‘asthma’.…”

Levels of leptin and adiponectin in patients with SLE, relationship with features of the course of the disease

“…Ці адипокіни можуть мати вплив на метаболізм, запалення, патологічні зміни, пов'язані з ожирінням, метаболічним синдромом, серцево-судинними захворюваннями, а також беруть участь у запальних, аутоімунних та ревматологічних захворюваннях, серед яких ревматоїдний артрит [10], хвороба Бехчета та СЧВ. [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”