Adipokines have multiple effects, including regulation of glucose metabolism, cell proliferation, inflammation, and angiogenesis. The aim of the study was to determine plasma concentrations of adiponectin, apelin, leptin, and resistin as well as soluble leptin receptor in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The expression of genes encoding the studied peptides was measured using microarray technique. Plasma concentrations of tested peptides were measured before and after oral glucose tolerance test in children treated with HSCT (n = 38) and in healthy controls (n = 26). The peptides were measured before HSCT (pre-HSCT group; n = 38) and after a median of 6 months after HSCT (post-HSCT group; n = 27 of 38 children treated with HSCT). In addition, measurements of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, lipids, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were performed. In both HSCT groups, atherogenic lipid profile, low-grade systemic inflammation was observed. Leptin, adiponectin, and resistin also appear to be good markers of disease burden and low-grade systemic inflammation. Adipokines may be good markers of disease burden and may influence metabolic complications of HSCT. Future studies on larger groups of patients will explain if changes of the concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, and apelin observed in our study and confirmed by expression levels influence engraftment and reconstitution of cell lines.
Keywords: Adipokines; children; stem cell transplantation.