Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical Sciences Building, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
Curr Pharm Des. 2014;20(4):646-51. doi: 10.2174/13816128113199990023.
The identification of the adipocyte as a source of production of biologically-active peptides has materialized into an active area of research related to the role of these peptides in physiology and pathophysiology. Moreover, this research has resulted in the identification of the adipocyte as an endocrine organ producing potent bioactive compounds. An increasing number of these adipokines are being identified, the first of which was leptin, a product of the obesity gene whose primary function is to act as a satiety factor but which is now known to exert a myriad of effects. It is now recognized that virtually all adipokines produce effects on numerous organ systems including the heart and many of these, including leptin, are produced by cardiac tissue. Here we focus primarily on the diverse effects of leptin on the heart especially as it pertains to hypertrophy and discuss the potential cell signaling mechanisms underlying their actions. Current evidence suggests that leptin is a cardiac hypertrophic factor and from clinical studies there is evidence that hyperleptinemia is associated with cardiovascular risk especially as it pertains to heart failure. While more substantial research needs to be carried out, leptin may represent a potential link between obesity, which is associated with hyperleptinemia, and increased cardiovascular risk.
脂肪细胞作为生物活性肽的产生源的鉴定已经成为一个活跃的研究领域，涉及这些肽在生理和病理生理学中的作用。此外，这项研究还确定了脂肪细胞是一种产生强效生物活性化合物的内分泌器官。越来越多的这些脂肪细胞因子被识别出来，其中第一个是瘦素，它是肥胖基因的产物，其主要功能是作为饱腹感因子，但现在已知它会产生无数的影响。现在人们认识到，几乎所有的脂肪细胞因子都会对包括心脏在内的许多器官系统产生影响，而其中许多包括瘦素，都是由心脏组织产生的。在这里，我们主要关注瘦素对心脏的多种影响，特别是在肥大方面，并讨论其作用的潜在细胞信号机制。目前的证据表明，瘦素是一种心脏肥大因子，从临床研究来看，有证据表明高瘦素血症与心血管风险有关，特别是与心力衰竭有关。虽然还需要进行更实质性的研究，但瘦素可能代表肥胖与心血管风险增加之间的潜在联系，肥胖与高瘦素血症有关。
