Relation of leptin in plasma with oxidative damage in indigenous Tepehuán and Mestizo populations from Durango

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disorder that involves lipid peroxidation (LPX), activating the antioxidant systems to counteract cellular damage. Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the antioxidant capacity and LPX levels of leptin, in indigenous Tepehuán and Mestizo populations of the State of Durango. Methods: We conducted a nutritional clinical study and lipid profile to confirm the state of health of a group of 60 indigenous Tepehuán of Mezquital and 68 mestizos subjects of Durango city, aged between 18 to 59 years. We determined the concentrations of leptin, antioxidant capacity and LPX in fasting conditions on plasma of participants, comparing averages, minimum, maximum, and standard deviation through ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis. For the correlation of variables, Pearson test was applied, getting the r value. Results: Leptin levels were lower in indigenous Tepehuán than mestizos independent of body mass index. Mestizo subjects and Tepehuán with overweight and obesity (OW/O) or both ethnic groups show a greater degree of LPX (3.39 ± 0.31, 2.72 ± 0.54 MDA µmol/l, respectively; p < 0.05); however, OW/O mestizos show more activation of its (0.37±0. 03 meq/trolox) than Tepehuán normal weight (NW) and OW/O (0.32 ±0. 01 meq/trolox). The correlation between antioxidant capacity and LPX in mixed OW/O was positive (r = 0.9; p < 0.001). There is a correlation between levels of leptin and the antioxidant capacity of Tepehuán subjects both NW and OW/O (r = 0.40; p < 0.05 and r = -0.66; p < 0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: Tepehuán groups with OW/O have less oxidative damage, while antioxidant mechanisms have a smaller activation than the top crosses of the same nutritional condition. The results suggest that antioxidant capacity has an implication on the regulation of leptin levels in Tepehuán subjects.