Title:Novel Insights into the Important Role of Leptin in Modulating the
Pathological Development of Fibrotic-related Diseases
Volume: 23
Issue: 10
Author(s): Huiyuan Kang, Min Lai, Yan’er Yao, Bin Wang, Xin Su*Ye Cheng
Affiliation:
- Department of Cardiology, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Fujian, China
Keywords:
Leptin, extracellular, matrix, fibrosis, cytokines, hypothalmus.
Abstract: Leptin, as one of the most important cytokines within the circulation, has
been confirmed to play a vital role in the hypothalamus of the central nervous system
(CNS), which could modulate energy homeostasis by suppressing food intake. Furthermore,
leptin could also influence cell metabolism by acting directly on the leptin
receptor, which is a relatively small peptide and is mainly produced and released by fat
tissue in mammals. On the other hand, the excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) could
induce damage in normal tissues or organ structures, which might further induce fibrotic
development in multiple tissues or organs, including the liver, heart, and kidneys.
Notably, the sustainable development of fibrosis promotes the structural lesion and
functional decline of different organs, which subsequently threatens human health and
poses serious risks to human life. Emerging evidence has shown that leptin plays an
important role in the fibrotic progression within multiple tissues and organs in mammals
and has an alleviating effect on fibrosis. Concerning this notion, it has been proposed
that leptin could be identified as a vital therapeutic strategy for fibrotic progression
in clinical practice. Consequently, this review summarized the potential mechanisms
of leptin in modulating fibrotic development in diverse tissues and organs to
provide a theoretical basis for treating fibrotic-related diseases. In addition, the potential
mechanisms whereby leptin affects the development of fibrosis were also summarized
in the current review.
