The Emerging Role of Adipose Tissue-derived Leptin in Inflammatory and Immune Responses in Obesity: an Update

Leptin, an adipocyte-secreted peptide, has a dual role acting as hormone in central regulation of metabolism and energy homeostasis, and as cytokine to regulate the innate and adaptive immune response in normal and pathological conditions. This review provides a synopsis of recent advances regarding the emerging role of leptin as a modulator of inflammatory and immune responses in adipose tissue in obesity. Scientific databases (Medline and PubMed) have been used to acquire the most recent and valuable reports about this issue. Recent findings indicate that leptin in adipose tissue acts to promote adipogenesis and angiogenesis processes, to enhance proliferation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by T-cells, macrophages and dendritic cells, and to negatively regulate the proliferation and expansion of regulatory T-cells, a specific lymphocytes subset involved in the control of immune responses. New therapeutic strategies based on developing leptinor leptinreceptor neutralizing antibodies have been proposed as molecular tools in treating chronic inflammation and immunity response.