Obesity is one of the foremost risk factors in coronavirus infection resulting in severe illness and mortality as the pandemic progresses. Obesity is a well-known predisposed chronic inflammatory condition. The dynamics of obesity and its impacts on immunity may change the disease severity of pneumonia, especially in acute respiratory distress syndrome, a primary cause of death from SARS-CoV-2 infection. The adipocytes of adipose tissue secret leptin in proportion to individuals’ body fat mass. An increase in circulating plasma leptin is a typical characteristic of obesity and correlates with a leptin-resistant state. Leptin is considered a pleiotropic molecule regulating appetite and immunity. In immunity, leptin functions as a cytokine and coordinates the host’s innate and adaptive responses by promoting the Th1 type of immune response. Leptin induced the proliferation and functions of antigen-presenting cells, monocytes, and T helper cells, subsequently influencing the pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by these cells, such as TNF-α, IL-2, or IL-6. Leptin scarcity or resistance is linked with dysregulation of cytokine secretion leading to autoimmune disorders, inflammatory responses, and increased susceptibility towards infectious diseases. Therefore, leptin activity by leptin long-lasting super active antagonist’s dysregulation in patients with obesity might contribute to high mortality rates in these patients during SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review systematically discusses the interplay mechanism between leptin and inflammatory cytokines and their contribution to the fatal outcomes in COVID-19 patients with obesity.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Inflammation, Mortality, obesity, cytokine, Leptin, 【초록키워드】 Monocytes, Coronavirus infection, immune response, Diseases, adaptive, Inflammatory responses, Immunity, Pneumonia, IL-6, SARS-COV-2 infection, susceptibility, severity, Th1, outcome, risk factor, response, Impact, Patient, death, plasma, characteristic, mechanism, function, Inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, IL-2, T helper cells, acute respiratory distress, Autoimmune disorders, COVID-19 patient, proliferation, dysregulation, Fat mass, antigen-presenting cells, tissue, These cells, secretion, syndrome, pro-inflammatory cytokine, circulating, high mortality rate, adipose, inflammatory condition, cytokine secretion, adipocyte, resulting, proportion, the disease, contribute, long-lasting, increase in, Coordinate, pleiotropic, pandemic progresses, patients with obesity,