The ligands of GHSR as biomarkers and their potential clinical utility

What is clinical value of the plasma levels of ghrelin or LEAP2 as biomarkers of eating disorders or body weight alterations?

Obesity is a chronic and multifactorial disease that is difficult to prevent. Different studies show an association between ghrelin or LEAP2 and obesity. In adults, ghrelin levels decrease in patients with obesity and negatively correlate with body mass index (BMI). Ghrelin levels also decrease in obese children and adolescents and are negatively correlated with BMI.

Many studies found that ghrelin levels are negatively correlated with circulating insulin and insulin resistance in adults and children. LEAP2 levels, in contrast, increase in patients suffering morbid obesity and positively correlate with BMI and plasma glucose.

Our team is currently studying whether ghrelin or LEAP2 levels can be used as biomarkers of the nutritional status of patients or if they have clinical value for the diagnosis or follow-up of patients suffering from eating disorders.