Annual Research & Review in Biology

Leptin is a peptide hormone produced mainly by white adipose cells. It helps to regulate appetite, fat stores and predispose individual to type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications. We aim to establish the variations in serum levels of Leptin in subject with type 2 diabetic and healthy individuals in Dutse, Jigawa State, North–West Nigeria. This study was conducted using eighty (80) volunteers (40 males, 40 females) diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Clinic of Rasheed Shakoni Specialist Hospital, Dutse, age and gender matched control groups. Anthropometric parameters such as weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure and biochemical parameters (Leptin, FBG, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides) were measured. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and systolic blood pressure of the diabetic group were found significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with healthy control group. Mean serum Leptin levels of diabetic group (5.76 ± 0.33 ng/ml) was significantly lower (P<0.05) compared with control group (6.68 ± 0.27 ng/ml). Mean FBG and HbA1c of the diabetic and control groups were (9.32 ± 0.54 mmol/l, 10.69 ± 0.25 %) versus (4.18 ± 0.08 mmol/l and 6.37 ± 0.12%), respectively. Serum Leptin levels in diabetic females (mean = 6.09 ± 0.46 ng/ml) and controls females (mean = 7.46 ± 0.45 ng/ml) was higher compared with diabetic males (mean = 5.43 ± 0.46 ng/ml) and control males (5.90 ± 0.24 ng/ml). Similarly, Leptin has significantly positive correlation with BMI in both the diabetic (r=0.562, p<0.01) and control groups (r=0.466, P<0.01). Also a positive correlation was observed between Leptin levels and WHR in the control group (r=0.399, p<0.01). The study indicated a reduced leptin levels among diabetics compared to controls. Serum Leptin level appears to play a role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and/or its complications.