Leptin and adiponectin mRNA expression from the adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal neoplasia.

CONTEXT: Interplay between adipose tissue and adrenal glands has been recently suggested, without well-founded actions of locally adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal glands.

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that the local expression of leptin and adiponectin can be associated with pathological changes of the adrenal glands.

PATIENTS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We evaluated RT-PCR of leptin and adiponectin mRNA expression from the adipose tissue surrounding adrenal glands in 30 patients, collecting adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal neoplasms, peri-renal and subcutaneous depots.

RESULTS

Leptin mRNA levels from adrenal neoplasia and peri-renal fat were significantly higher in aldosterone-producing adenoma than in nonfunctioning adenomas (P < 0.001 and P < 0.02, respectively). In patients with Cushing's syndrome leptin mRNA levels were significantly higher in adrenal fat than in peri-renal (P < 0.05) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (P < 0.001). Adiponectin mRNA expression from adrenal neoplasia was significantly lower than that from peri-renal and subcutaneous fat depots (P < 0.05). Leptin and adiponectin plasma levels significantly correlated with their mRNA expression from the fat depot surrounding the adrenal neoplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest an active role of the fat depot surrounding the adrenal neoplasia, with local secretion of leptin and adiponectin.