MONDAY, Nov. 3, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- Leptin, an obesity-related hormone, may play a key role in the development of osteoarthritis (OA), says a French study in the November issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism.
Leptin, which is produced predominantly in the body's fat tissue, regulates food intake and energy output.
In this study, researchers tested for the presence of leptin in samples of synovial fluid and cartilage specimens from the joints of 20 people with OA. Of those, 11 were having knee replacement surgery and nine were undergoing knee arthroscopy.
The researchers compared the expression of leptin in the cartilage of the OA patients with that found in normal tissue. They also compared the concentration of leptin found in the synovial fluid of the OA patients to their body mass index (BMI), as well as the level of their OA severity.
The study found that high leptin concentrations correlated with high BMI, and leptin expression in OA joints related to the grade of cartilage destruction.
"Our data demonstrate that leptin is overexpressed in the human OA knee joint and provide evidence that leptin contributes to the pathogenesis of OA. Moreover, the effects of leptin on articular cartilage may explain the relationship between BMI and the increased risk of OA," the study authors write.
They say more research should be done on the role of leptin throughout the course of OA.
More information
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