True

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Leptin, the ob gene product, is an anorexigenic peptide secreted from adipose tissue. However, the mechanism of leptin clearanceadegradation has not been well determined in humans. The present study was undertaken to examine a possible involvement of liver in determining circulating leptin concentrations in humans. SUBJECTS: In the present study 58 healthy control subjects and 68 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) without any renal dysfunction were randomly included. METHOD: The serum immunoreactive leptin (IRL) concentrations relative to the body mass index (BMI) were determined. Serum IRL and estradiol (E 2 ) concentrations were assayed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS: The correlations between the BMI and circulating IRL concentrations were all signi®cant in male healthy controls (M-C), male patients with LC (M-LC), female healthy controls (F-C) and female patients with LC (F-LC). Circulating IRL concentrations were signi®cantly higher than control in F-LC but not M-LC groups. The ratio of circulating IRL concentrations to the BMI was signi®cantly higher in the M-LC group than in the M-C group and also signi®cantly higher in the F-LC group than in the F-C group. The correlation between the IRLaBMI ratio and serum total bilirubin concentrations was signi®cant (r 0.417, P`0.05) in the M-LC group, but not in the F-LC group. There was no signi®cant correlation of the IRLaBMI ratio to serum E 2 or albumin concentrations in either M-LC or F-LC groups.CONCLUSION: The present data demonstrated that the rate of increase in circulating IRL concentrations with the BMI was higher in LC patients of both genders. Liver may play a role in determining circulating leptin levels.