Clinical correlates of plasma ghrelin and LEAP-2 concentrations in Eating Disorders and Obesity

Introduction Hormones such as ghrelin and the recent described human liver expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 (LEAP-2) play a pivotal role in regulating food intake and energy metabolism. In this context, their aberrant functioning has been suggested as a mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of eating disorders (ED) and obesity. Considering the high comorbidity between binge spectrum disorders (BSD) and obesity, whether this dysfunction could be a potential shared neurobiological mechanism remained underexplored. Objectives To analyze plasma ghrelin and liver expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 (LEAP-2) concentrations in fasting among individuals with obesity (OB), with and without an eating disorder (ED), and compare them with a group of healthy controls (HC). Besides, to assess associations between these concentrations, psychopathological variables, and body mass index (BMI) in the clinical sample with OB. Methods The sample comprised 162 adult women (67 OB-ED, 35 OB+ED, and 62 HC). Peripheral blood samples, eating psychopathology, trait impulsivity, food addiction (FA), fat mass, and BMI were collected. The between-group comparisons were performed using analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for age and fat mass, and the link between variables was evaluated through correlation and path analyses. Results Individuals with OB (with and without an ED) showed lower significant ghrelin concentrations than HC (p<.001). The OB+ED group reported significantly higher eating psychopathology, trait impulsivity, and FA than the OB-ED and HC groups. In the OB+ED group, LEAP-2 concentrations positively correlated with BMI, fat mass, novelty seeking, and FA scores. The path analysis showed that higher LEAP-2 levels and FA scores were linked to more severe eating psychopathology Conclusions The results suggest an interplay between biological and clinical factors that contribute to delineate vulnerability pathways in ED and OB, which could help fit more tailored therapeutic approaches. Disclosure of Interest None Declared