Adiponectin, leptin and oxidative stress in preeclampsia in Egyptian women

Abstract

Adiponectin and Leptin are closely related adipokines that are associated with the oxidative stresses and endothelial dysfunction and proposed to participate in preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis. This study is to determine changes in serum levels of adiponectin, leptin and oxidative stress in PE women in order to speculate a possible role of them in the pathogenesis and severity of PE. The serum levels of adiponectin and leptin are measured simultaneously by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was used as a marker for lipid peroxidation & measured by biochemical test. It is found that the levels of adiponectin are significantly lower in mild and severe PE and levels of leptin are significantly higher in mild and severe PE. The adiponectin /leptin ratios are significantly lower in mild and severe PE than in control group as well as to its high significant difference between mild and severe PE. Whereas MDA levels are significantly higher in women with mild or severe PE than in control group and there are striking differences between the mild and severe PE in MDA levels. There is a significant negative correlation between serum levels of MDA and adiponectin and between adiponectin and leptin, and a significant positive correlation between serum levels of MDA andleptin in PE women (R= -0.424, -0.327, + 0.309) respectively. Therefore, PE is associated with hypoadiponectinemia and lipid peroxidation that may be a cause of increased leptin level. These may be utilized as sensitive & specific markers for PE diagnosis & severity.Keywords: adiponectin/leptin ratio, MDA level, Pregnancy.