Inflammation and leptin

Owing to the general elevation of cytokines and inflammatory markers, obesity is considered a chronic inflammatory disease. As a member of the adipokine family, leptin is an indispensable hormone in the physiological control of energy balance. However, recent evidence suggests that the proportional increase of blood leptin with adiposity also plays important roles in the regulation of immunity. The primary goal of this review is to summarize current perspectives on leptin and inflammation.

Section editors:John Corbett – Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, USAClayton Mathews – University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, Pittsburg, USA