lep Expression and Its Role in Obesity and Type-2 Diabetes

Abstract

Obesity is metabolic disorder that increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic syndromes in human beings. One sign of diabetes is increased blood glucose levels in the body. Glucose levels increase due to problems with insulin secretion or insulin resistance. Maturity onset of diabetes of the young is more common in adults and occurs due to insulin resistance. Both diabetes and obesity are major problems that are responsible for the death of millions of individuals every year, worldwide. Leptin, a 164-KDa hormone that is secreted by white adipose tissue, is a product of the lep gene. Mutation in lep decreases leptin concentration and increases obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus. Leptin has been shown to produce positive effects on hunger, energy expenditure, and behavior and is thus useful in the treatment of obesity and type-2 diabetes. Leptin controls appetite through its effect on the hypothalamus in the brain. Both leptin and insulin regulate appetite, body weight, and glucose levels in the body.

Transcriptional Profiling and Biological Pathway(s) Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Pakistani Population

“…In our validation experiment, the LEPR gene was upregulated in 93% of the cases. This observation is concordant with previous studies, which showed upregulated gene expression of LEPR in this disease [56][57][58][59]. It was also identified as a future disease risk marker for metabolic dysfunction in a Slovakian population with severe environmental chemical exposures [36].…”

Adipokine Profile in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Depends on Degree of Obesity

“…Obesity is a frequent concomitant of type 2 diabetes (T2D) [ 2 ]. It has been estimated that no less than 90% of type 2 diabetics are overweight or obese [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Apart from being the energy storage, the adipose tissue is also an important endocrine organ which secretes numerous substances with biological activity, including adipokines [ 4 , 11 , 12 ]. The literature shows that disturbances of adipokine secretion may contribute to peripheral insulin resistance development and/or impairment of production and action of insulin [ 2 , 13 , 14 ]. Pathophysiological relationships between obesity and T2D have not been fully clarified; nonetheless, adipokines (including leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin) seem to play an important role [ 2 , 14 – 16 ].…”

“…Leptin takes part in the long-term regulation of food intake; it causes appetite suppression as well as enhancement of energy expenditure [ 2 , 12 ]. Leptin decreases lipogenesis and stimulates lipolysis, as well as oxidation of fatty acids.…”

The association of serum leptin with anthropometric indices, lipid metabolism and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis

“…Leptin is 16 kDa peptide produced and secreted by adipose tissue with a multidimensional physiological role (1). For several years, the potential effect of leptin as an appetite suppressor had been discovered that inducing mutations on its coding gene in animal models led to hyperphagia and energy expenditure resulted in obesity (2,3). Later, the appearance of diabetic status and its-related adverse consequences such as diabetic nephropathy in those with mutated gene was also revealed (4,5).…”