Leptin promoter G-2548A genotypes and associated serum leptin levels in childhood acute leukemia at diagnosis and under high-dose steroid therapy

Genotype/allele distributions of leptin promoter G-2548A polymorphism, serum leptin and insulin levels and body weight were not significantly different between 72 children (39 male/33 female; age range 1.08-16, median 6 years) with acute leukemia (56 acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]/16 acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia [ANLL]) at diagnosis and 70 age- and sex-matched controls (p0.05). The - 2548GG genotype was associated with the highest leptin levels in controls and patients with acute leukemia after 7-day high-dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) therapy (p0.05), while no significant association of genotype with leptin levels was detected in patients at diagnosis (p0.05). One-week HDMP therapy in patients carrying the - 2548G allele caused a significant increase in leptin levels and body weight (p0.001), whereas increases in those carrying the - 2548AA genotype were insignificant (p0.05). Decreases in white blood cell counts of patients after therapy were insignificant in - 2548GG (p0.05) yet significant in - 2548GA and - 2548AA (p0.05) genotypes. These results revealed no association of leptin genotype with the etiology of childhood acute leukemia but a possible association with leptin levels and effects of HDMP therapy.