The Role of Leptin in the Association between Obesity and Psoriasis

Abstract

Adipose tissue secretes many adipokines which contribute to various metabolic processes, such as blood pressure, glucose homeostasis, inflammation and angiogenesis. The biology of adipose tissue in an obese individual is abnormally altered in a manner that increases the body’s vulnerability to immune diseases, such as psoriasis. Psoriasis is considered a chronic inflammatory skin disease which is closely associated with being overweight and obese. Additionally, secretion of leptin, a type of adipokine, increases dependently on adipose cell size and adipose accumulation. Likewise, high leptin levels also aggravate obesity via development of leptin resistance, suggesting that leptin and obesity are closely related. Leptin induction in psoriatic patients is mainly driven by the interleukin (IL)-23/helper T (Th) 17 axis pathway. Furthermore, leptin can have an effect on various types of immune cells such as T cells and dendritic cells. Here, we discuss the relationship between obesity and leptin expression as well as the linkage between effect of leptin on immune cells and psoriasis progression.

Lactobacillus alleviated obesity induced by high‐fat diet in mice

“…In addition, we found that M5 and T3 could prevent HFD-induced weight gain and effectively protect against hepatocellular injury. Leptin is a type of adipokine, that can protect T lymphocytes from apoptosis and regulate T cell proliferation, increase the proliferation of naive T cells, and reduce the proliferation of memory T cells (Hwang et al, 2020). The function of the leptin pathway is to ensure a balance between body weight and energy.…”

Evaluation of the Influence of Adalimumab on the Expression Profile of Leptin-Related Genes and Proteins in Keratinocytes Treated with Lipopolysaccharide A

“…Firstly, numerous findings confirm a significantly higher concentration of leptin among psoriasis patients, especially in its moderate and acute form [ 24 , 25 ], in which treatment with anti-cytokine agents is recommended [ 18 ]. Secondly, a positive correlation was noted between the concentration of leptin in the serum and BMI [ 26 , 27 ], while the influence of leptin on receiving the response to the applied treatment and maintaining the period of disease remission, was also determined [ 28 ].…”

Leptin Receptor (rs1137101) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (rs925946) Gene Variants Are Associated with Obesity in the Early- but Not in the Late-Onset Population of Hungarian Psoriatic Patients

“…Such pathways include the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer, the activator of transcription factor 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signaling [ 31 , 32 ], and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family (p38 MAPK), as well as the stress activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathways [ 31 , 33 ], which together explain the multiplex inflammatory responses and the wide repertoire of the responding cells in the skin that are not only immune cells but also keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and sebocytes [ 34 ]. Importantly, besides murine studies describing an increased inflammation in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin in leptin deficient (ob/ob) mice [ 35 , 36 ], LEPR together with leptin was found to have significantly higher expression levels in the skin of severe psoriatic patients, even with normal BMI, compared to patients with mild–moderate psoriasis and controls in histological studies [ 28 ]. Moreover, leptin mRNA expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissue also positively correlated with the severity of psoriasis and the BMI in obese psoriatic patients [ 37 ] suggesting that leptin-induced signaling mediates both local as well as systemic changes.…”