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Evaluation of leptin levels in subjects at risk for type 1 diabetes

Lisa K Gilliam1, Richard A Jensen, Pam Yang

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7710, USA. lgilliam@u.washington.edu

Journal of Autoimmunity
|December 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Elevated leptin levels do not appear to be a major factor in developing type 1 diabetes (T1DM) autoimmunity. While higher BMI correlates with leptin, it doesn't directly predict T1DM risk in genetically predisposed individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) incidence is rising globally, especially in children.
  • Childhood weight gain is implicated in T1DM risk.
  • Leptin's potential role in promoting Th1 immune responses in T1DM autoimmunity was hypothesized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between leptin levels and the development of T1DM autoimmunity.
  • To determine if leptin influences the immune response in individuals at risk for T1DM.

Main Methods:

  • Measured insulin, GAD65, IA-2 autoantibodies, and leptin levels in T1DM relatives and controls.
  • Compared autoantibody-positive relatives with matched autoantibody-negative controls, adjusting for HLA risk and age.
  • Analyzed leptin levels in relation to BMI Z-score.

Main Results:

  • Leptin levels correlated positively with BMI Z-score, as expected.
  • No significant difference in leptin levels was found between autoantibody-positive relatives and autoantibody-negative controls.
  • Higher leptin levels were not demonstrated in individuals developing T1DM autoimmunity.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated leptin levels are not a primary determinant for developing T1DM autoimmunity.
  • High BMI and associated leptin elevations may act as permissive factors for autoimmunity, contingent on genetic predisposition.

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