Role of leptin/ILC2 axis in allergic rhinitis in obese children

Abstract

ObjectivesSince the leptin participates in the upregulation of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). We investigated the role of the leptin/ILC2 axis in AR pathogenesis in Chinese paediatric patients with obesity. MethodsSeventy AR paediatric patients with or without obesity and 30 healthy obese subjects were enrolled. The levels of leptin, its receptor and ILC2 milieu were measured, and correlations between them and clinical symptom severity and between ILC2 milieu and leptin levels were assessed. Changes of ILC2 milieu in AR patients after leptin stimulation were also detected. ResultsLevels of leptin, its receptor and ILC2 milieu levels were significantly higher in the disease than in the controls, and highest in the obese-AR group. The leptin/ILC2 axis and severity of clinical symptoms in obese patients with AR were significantly correlated, similarly to what was observed between leptin/leptin receptors and ILC2 milieu. Recombinant leptin could significantly increased the levels of ILC2 milieu in the obese-AR group. ConclusionsThese findings suggest the unique function ofthe leptin/ILC2 axis in obese paediatric AR patients. The mechanism by which obesity promotes AR in paediatric patients may be related to the leptin/ILC2 axis.