The role of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and obesity in determining leptin in the exhaled breath condensate

Leptin plays a key role in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Leptin production in human airways has been previously evaluated by measuring leptin concentration in the exhaled breath condensate and in the induced sputum. The aim was to study leptin expression in the cells of induced sputum and in exhaled breath condensate of subjects with OSAS. Moreover, leptin concentrations in the blood were measured in the same groups of subjects. We enrolled four groups of patients: (1) obese patients with OSAS (OO); (2) non-obese patients with OSAS (NOO); (3) obese patients without OSAS (ONO); and (4) non-obese subjects without OSAS (C). Leptin expression was evaluated by immunocytochemistry in the sputum cells of the enrolled subjects. The concentrations of leptin in the exhaled breath condensate and plasma were measured by using a specific enzyme immunoassay. Leptin protein expression and the percentage of macrophages and neutrophils expressing leptin were higher in the induced sputum of OO, NOO and ONO patients than in C. Leptin concentrations in the exhaled breath condensate were significantly higher in OO patients (5.12 (3.8–6.6) ng ml−1) than in NOO (4.1 (3.9–5.2) ng ml−1) and ONO (4.2 (3.6–5.0) ng ml−1) patients. The concentration of leptin in plasma was significantly more elevated in OO (36 (24–65.9) ng ml−1) than in NOO (30.2 (12.4–51.4) ng ml−1), whereas it was not significantly different in ONO patients. This study showed that leptin in sputum and in the exhaled breath condensate is higher in obese patients with OSAS than in obese subjects without OSAS. Moreover, different mechanisms for determining leptin concentrations in the exhaled breath condensate and the blood are suggested.