Effect of leptin on activation and cytokine synthesis in peripheral blood lymphocytes of malnourished infected children

Summary Malnutrition compromises immune function, resulting in reduced resistance to infection. Recent animal and human studies have suggested that leptin is capable of modulating the immune response and that its levels, which are regulated by nutritional status, fall rapidly during starvation. Leptin deficiency is associated with impaired cell‐mediated immunity, an increased incidence of infectious disease and an associated increase in mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of leptin on activation and cytokine production in peripheral blood T cells from malnourished children. The data obtained in the present study demonstrate that leptin produced an increase in the percentage of CD4 +  and CD8 + cells producing interleukin (IL)‐2 and interferon (IFN)‐γ in 24‐h cultures. Moreover, leptin decreased the percentage of CD4 +  and CD8 + cells producing IL‐4 and IL‐10, and enhanced activation of circulating T cells when co‐stimulated by phorbol 12‐myristate 13 acetate (PMA)–ionomycin. Leptin enhanced the expression of activation markers CD69 and CD25 in both CD4 +  and CD8 + cells after 5 h of stimulation. In conclusion, the results obtained show that leptin modulates CD4 +  and CD8 + cell activation towards a T helper 1 (Th1) phenotype by stimulating the synthesis of IL‐2 and IFN‐γ. In contrast, leptin decreases IL‐4 and IL‐10 production. Moreover, leptin enhanced the expression of CD69 and CD25 on CD4 +  and CD8 + cells after stimulation with PMA–ionomycin.