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Background <p>Leptin communicates the body’s energy utilisation and maintains a stable body weight. Preterm neonates often show rapid compensatory catch-up growth, which may increase the risk of obesity later in life. Although leptin regulates adiposity, its epigenetic role in the obesity risk of preterm neonates remains unclear.</p> Method <p>Global and <i>LEP</i> promoter methylation, leptin and IGF1 levels, and expression of <i>LEP</i> and <i>IL6</i> genes were measured in umbilical cord blood from preterm and term deliveries.</p> RESULTS <p>Genome-wide and <i>LEP-</i>specific methylation were decreased, while circulatory leptin, <i>LEP, LEPR</i>, <i>IL6</i>, and <i>TNFα</i> expression were increased in preterm cord blood (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Cord blood leptin levels were positively associated with birth weight in preterm (<i>r</i> = 0.288, <i>p</i> = 0.03). <i>LEP</i> methylation was inversely associated (<i>r</i> = −0.506, <i>p</i> = 0.03) with IGF1, while <i>IL6</i> expression positively correlated with leptin (<i>r</i> = 0.318, <i>p</i> = 0.05), and <i>LEP</i> expression (<i>r</i> = 0.278, <i>p</i> = 0.03) in preterm cord blood.</p> Conclusion <p>The interplay between <i>LEP</i> methylation and <i>IL6</i> can influence each other in promoting inflammation, which may increase the risk of obesity in preterm neonates in later life.</p> Impact <p><UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> <p>While leptin’s role in adiposity is established, its epigenetic influence on the obesity risk of preterm neonates is unknown.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>Epigenetic dysregulation of the <i>LEP</i> gene, together with increased expression of <i>IL6</i> and <i>TNFα</i>, led to a pro-inflammatory state in preterm neonates.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>This is the first study to report <i>LEP</i>-specific promoter methylation and its association with pro-inflammatory markers, exploring early-life biomarkers for predicting obesity.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>Predicting early biomarkers of obesity might have implications for the early identification and management of metabolic disorders in preterm neonates.</p> </ItemContent> </UnorderedList></p> <p></p>

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Leptin-specific epigenetic modulation of preterm cord blood serves as a candidate biomarker for obesity

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月15日

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  • Navya Sree Boga,
  • Amit K. Banerjee,
  • Saikanth Varma,
  • Archana Molangiri,
  • Syeda Farhana,
  • Santosh Kumar Banjara,
  • Nitasha Bagga,
  • Asim K. Duttaroy,
  • Sanjay Basak

摘要

Background

Leptin communicates the body’s energy utilisation and maintains a stable body weight. Preterm neonates often show rapid compensatory catch-up growth, which may increase the risk of obesity later in life. Although leptin regulates adiposity, its epigenetic role in the obesity risk of preterm neonates remains unclear.

Method

Global and LEP promoter methylation, leptin and IGF1 levels, and expression of LEP and IL6 genes were measured in umbilical cord blood from preterm and term deliveries.

RESULTS

Genome-wide and LEP-specific methylation were decreased, while circulatory leptin, LEP, LEPR, IL6, and TNFα expression were increased in preterm cord blood (p < 0.05). Cord blood leptin levels were positively associated with birth weight in preterm (r = 0.288, p = 0.03). LEP methylation was inversely associated (r = −0.506, p = 0.03) with IGF1, while IL6 expression positively correlated with leptin (r = 0.318, p = 0.05), and LEP expression (r = 0.278, p = 0.03) in preterm cord blood.

Conclusion

The interplay between LEP methylation and IL6 can influence each other in promoting inflammation, which may increase the risk of obesity in preterm neonates in later life.

Impact

While leptin’s role in adiposity is established, its epigenetic influence on the obesity risk of preterm neonates is unknown.

Epigenetic dysregulation of the LEP gene, together with increased expression of IL6 and TNFα, led to a pro-inflammatory state in preterm neonates.

This is the first study to report LEP-specific promoter methylation and its association with pro-inflammatory markers, exploring early-life biomarkers for predicting obesity.

Predicting early biomarkers of obesity might have implications for the early identification and management of metabolic disorders in preterm neonates.