Early Life Adversity Is Associated With Elevated Levels of Circulating Leptin, Irisin, and Decreased Levels of Adiponectin in Midlife Adults

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2014-06, Vol.99 (6), p.E1055-E1060
• Main Authors: Joung, Kyoung Eun, Park, Kyung-Hee, Zaichenko, Lesya, Sahin-Efe, Ayse, Thakkar, Bindiya, Brinkoetter, Mary, Usher, Nicole, Warner, Dorothy, Davis, Cynthia R, Crowell, Judith A, Mantzoros, Christos S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiponectin - blood; Adult; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Child; Child Abuse - psychology; Child Abuse - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Fibronectins - blood; Humans; JCEM Online: Brief Reports; Leptin - blood; Life Change Events; Male; Middle Aged; Stress, Psychological - blood; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2013-3669

Context: Early-life adversity, defined as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and neglect before 18 years of age, is associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult life. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood, and whether adipomyokines are associated with early-life adversity independent of other factors such as body mass index, psychosocial risks, and health behaviors is not known. Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between early-life adversity and circulating the levels of the adipomyokines such as leptin, adiponectin, and irisin and the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP). Design/Subjects/Setting: This study was a cross-sectional study of 95 adults at a university-based research center. We collected venous blood from participants and analyzed serum for leptin, adiponectin, irisin, and CRP. Results: Circulating leptin, irisin, and CRP levels were significantly higher in the highest adversity tertile group compared with low and middle tertile groups (P < .001 for leptin, P = .01 for irisin, and P = .02 for CRP). Adiponectin levels were lower in the highest tertile group compared with the low and middle tertile groups (P = .03). After adjusting for demographic variables, physical activity, diet, current mental health, and body mass index, the associations between early-life adversity leptin, irisin, and did not change. However, adiponectin and CRP levels were no longer significantly related to early life adversity. Conclusion: Early-life adversity is directly associated with elevated circulating leptin and irisin, and indirectly associated with elevated CRP and decreased adiponectin. These findings suggest that these adipomyokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic abnormality in a population with significant early life adversity.