Blood SIRT1 Shows a Coherent Association with Leptin and Adiponectin in Relation to the Degree and Distribution of Adiposity: A Study in Obesity, Normal Weight and Anorexia Nervosa

Abstract

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a sensor of cell energy availability, and with leptin and adiponectin, it regulates metabolic homeostasis. Widely studied in tissues, SIRT1 is under evaluation as a plasmatic marker. We aimed at assessing whether circulating SIRT1 behaves consistently with leptin and adiponectin in conditions of deficiency, excess or normal fat content. Eighty subjects were evaluated: 27 with anorexia nervosa (AN), 26 normal-weight and 27 with obesity. Bloodstream SIRT1, leptin and adiponectin (ELISA), total and trunk fat mass (FM) %, abdominal visceral adipose tissue, liver steatosis and epicardial fat thickness (EFT) were assessed. For each fat store, the coefficient of determination (R2) was used to evaluate the prediction capability of SIRT1, leptin and adiponectin. Plasma SIRT1 and adiponectin coherently decreased with the increase of FM, while the opposite occurred with leptin. Mean levels of each analyte were different between groups (p < 0.005). A significant association between plasma variables and FM depots was observed. SIRT1 showed a good predictive strength for FM, particularly in the obesity group, where the best R2 was recorded for EFT (R2 = 0.7). Blood SIRT1, adiponectin and leptin behave coherently with FM and there is synchrony between them. The association of SIRT1 with FM is substantially superimposable to that of adiponectin and leptin. Given its homeostatic roles, SIRT1 may deserve to be considered as a plasma clinical/biochemical parameter of adiposity and metabolic health.