Abstract
The present study determines the fat depot-specific expression of leptin and TNF-α
and its association with biochemical parameters in postmenopausal women. A total of
108 postmenopausal women were recruited prospectively; 54 were with metabolic syndrome
(cases) and 54 were without metabolic syndrome (controls). Leptin and TNF-α mRNA expression
in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were done by
Real Time-RT PCR. In cases, the mean (±SD) serum estrogen was significantly lower
(41.33±24.90 vs. 23.95±14.45, p<0.001) while leptin (12.85±4.51 vs. 10.34±3.89, p=0.002)
and TNF-α (13.81±7.13 vs. 8.00±4.38, p<0.001) were significantly higher as compared
to controls. Further, the mean relative VAT mRNA expression of both leptin (0.33±0.29
vs. 0.05±0.09, p<0.001) and TNF-α (0.32±0.31 vs. 0.13±0.09, p<0.001) and expression
of SAT leptin (4.91±4.01 vs. 0.50±0.92, p<0.001) also lowered significantly in cases
as compared to controls. Further, the relative VAT expression of both leptin (r=−0.32,
p<0.001) and TNF-α (r=−0.23, p<0.01) showed significant and negative correlation with
glucose; expression of SAT leptin showed significant and positive correlation with
HDL (r=0.20, p<0.05) and serum estrogen (r=0.30, p<0.01) while negative correlation
with glucose (r=−0.26, p<0.01) and serum TNF-α (r=−0.29, p<0.01); and expression of
SAT TNF-α showed significant and positive correlation with insulin (r=0.21, p<0.05)
and HOMA (r=0.20, p<0.05). In conclusion, the VAT and SAT leptin mRNA expressions
may have a modulatory role in metabolic syndrome.
Key words
adipokines - metabolic syndrome - adipose tissue - hyperinsulinemia - leptin - obesity
- postmenopause
