Leptin Gene Polymorphism and Dyslipidemia in Obese Diabetic Patients: Pilot Study

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity has steadily been rising over the past decades in adults and children, to become a global epidemic and represent a major public health challenge. Obesity is a multifactorial condition influenced by the combined effects of genes, environment and their interactions. Despite intense efforts, the genetic pathways underlying obesity remain elusive. Many studies have identified the role of genetic variants related to obesity, although the results are still contradictory. This may have occurred due to the diversity of the ethnic groups involved and their respective genetic variability as well as to variations in age, gender, and sample size. Furthermore, there is divergence regarding diets and lifestyles, which modulate the phenotype of body weight. Leptin is a key hormone in the regulation of body weight. Synthesized and secreted by the adipose tissue, it functions as an afferent satiety signal for the hypothalamus, where it triggers a cascade of neuroendocrine responses that result in the inhibition of orexigenic peptides. These events regulate appetite and metabolism, controlling the body fat mass.