Erschienen in:
01.10.2006 | Review
The role of leptin in innate and adaptive immune responses
verfasst von:
Eiva Bernotiene, Gaby Palmer, Cem Gabay
Erschienen in:
Arthritis Research & Therapy
|
Ausgabe 5/2006
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Abstract
Leptin is produced primarily by adipocytes and functions in a feedback loop regulating body weight. Leptin deficiency results in severe obesity and a variety of endocrine abnormalities in animals and humans. Several studies indicated that leptin plays an important role in immune responses. It exerts protective anti-inflammatory effects in models of acute inflammation and during activation of innate immune responses. In contrast, leptin stimulates T lymphocyte responses, thus having rather a proinflammatory role in experimental models of autoimmune diseases. Clinical studies have so far yielded inconsistent results, suggesting a rather complex role for leptin in immune-mediated inflammatory conditions in humans.