Exogenous leptin restores in vitro T cell proliferation and cytokine synthesis in patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

AC GOLDBERGA, F GOLDBERG ELIASCHEWITZC, WR MONTOR, GV BARACHO, P RUGGERO ERRANTE, MA CALLERO, MR ALVES CARDOSOB, PE BRAGAB, J KALILB, MC SOGAYAR, LV RIZZO

CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY

Elsevier

Lugar: Los Angeles, California; Año: 2005 vol. 114 p. 147 - 153

1521-6616

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia. Leptin has beenimplicated as an antiapoptotic compound as well as a stimulant of the immune response. Leptin administration is capable of reversing theimmune deficiency that occurs upon starvation. We investigated a possible role for leptin in CVID; a condition associated with loweredplasma leptin levels. Thirty-eight patients were studied. Addition of leptin to the tissue culture media of PBMC from CVID patients increasedthe proliferative response of lymphocytes to mitogens and decreased activation-induced apoptosis of these cells. IL-2 and specially IL-4production also increased significantly upon addition of leptin to the PBMC cultures. Our results suggest that leptin may be involved in someof the cellular defects observed in CVID and indicate a novel therapeutic strategy to improve immune function in these patients.