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Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Isolation and Culturing of Primary Murine Adipocytes from Lean and Obese Mice
Published on: January 24, 2025
Obesity and cancer: focus on leptin
Khouloud Ayed1, Lamis Nabi1, Rym Akrout1
1Laboratory of Genetics, Immunology, and Human Pathology, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Obesity increases cancer risk and worsens outcomes. This review explores how leptin, an obesity-related hormone, drives cancer development, impacts immunity, and affects treatment resistance, suggesting leptin as a potential cancer target.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Immunology
Background:
- Obesity is a global epidemic linked to increased cancer risk, poorer prognosis, metastasis, mortality, and therapy resistance.
- Pathophysiological links between obesity and cancer are not fully understood but may involve adipokines, hormones elevated in obesity.
- Leptin, an adipokine, is implicated as a key mediator in the obesity-cancer relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on leptin's role in cancer.
- To examine leptin's effects on anti-tumor immunity.
- To discuss leptin's influence on cancer treatment efficacy and resistance.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating leptin and cancer.
- Analysis of leptin's impact on tumorigenesis, immune response, and treatment outcomes.
- Synthesis of current evidence on leptin's role in cancer progression and resistance.
Main Results:
- Leptin is implicated in various aspects of tumorigenic processes.
- Leptin influences the anti-tumor immune response.
- Leptin affects the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments and contributes to tumor resistance.
Conclusions:
- Leptin plays a significant role in linking obesity to cancer.
- Targeting leptin may offer a strategy for cancer prevention and treatment.
- Further research is warranted to fully elucidate leptin's mechanisms in cancer.
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