Leptin and adiponectin mRNA expression from the adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal neoplasia

Context: Interplay between adipose tissue and adrenal glands has been recently suggested, without well-founded actions of locally adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal glands. Objective: We hypothesized that the local expression of leptin and adiponectin can be associated with pathological changes of the adrenal glands. Patients and main outcome measures: we evaluated RT-PCR of leptin and adiponectin mRNA expression from the adipose tissue surrounding adrenal glands in 30 patients, collecting adipose tissue surrounding the adrenal neoplasms, peri-renal and subcutaneous depots. Results: Leptin mRNA levels from adrenal neoplasia and peri-renal fat were significantly higher in aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) than in non-functioning adenomas (NFA) (p<0.001 and p<0.02, respectively). In patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) leptin mRNA levels were significantly higher in adrenal fat than in peri-renal (p<0.05) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (p<0.001). Adiponectin mRNA expression from