An endocrine and metabolic definition of the intermeal interval in humans:evidence for a role of leptin on the prandial pattern through fatty acid disposal

Background: It has been proposed that leptin provides a hormonal link betwe en adipose stoles and food intake. Objective: This study investigated the role of leptin in the prandial patte rn. Design: In experiment 1, a spontaneous prandial pattern was recreated in 6 young, normal-weight men who were deprived of time cues and had blood withd rawn continuously at a frequency of one tube every 5 min. Meals were consum ed ad libitum and dinner was requested voluntarily. Data from a second expe riment, conducted in 8 subjects, were used to confirm the changes in leptin during the intermeal interval (IMI), Results: Plasma leptin gradually rose to a peak (62 +/- 18% of the lunch co ncentration) during the IMI and declined before the dinner request (-21 +/- 4% of the peak concentration). This preprandial decline was confirmed in e xperiment 2 (-15 +/- 9%). The leptin concentration at lunch and fat-free ma ss were the only significant predictors of the SMI (both: r(2) = 0.91, P = 0.03). With fat intake at lunch, the leptin concentration at lunch was a po sitive predictor of the area under the curve of plasma fatty acids during t he IMI (r(2) = 0.95, P = 0.01). Moreover, the leptin concentration at lunch was negatively correlated with energy intake in the first course of this m eal (r(2) = -0.95, P < 0.005), A similar result was found at dinner (r = -0 .85, P < 0.05). Last, the change in leptin was predicted accurately by chan ges in glucose, triacylglycerol, and fatty acids (r(2) = 0.87, P < 10(-5)). Conclusion: Plasma leptin concentrations increase during a spontaneous IMI and decline before the onset of a meal. The results argue for a role of lep tin in the prandial pattern through fatty acid peripheral disposal.