Plasma LEAP-2 Following a Low-Calorie Diet with or Without Interval Exercise in Women with Obesity

Liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 (LEAP-2) is associated with caloric intake and glucose metabolism. : Assess if a low-calorie diet with interval exercise (LCD+INT) raises LEAP-2 more than LCD in relation to appetite and cardiometabolic health. : Women with obesity were randomized to either 2 weeks of LCD ( = 13, ~1200 kcal/d) or LCD+INT ( = 12; 60 min/d) of INT at 3 min of 90% and 50% HRpeak, respectively. LEAP-2 and acylated ghrelin (AG) were measured at 0, 30, and 60 min, while glucose, insulin, C-peptide, and free fatty acids (FFA) were obtained up to 180 min of a 75 g OGTT. Fasting and 120 min OGTT appetite were assessed via visual analog scales. : LCD reduced the BMI ( < 0.001) compared with LCD+INT, but only LCD+INT increased the VO max ( = 0.04). Treatments reduced fasting LEAP-2 ( = 0.05), but only LCD increased LEAP-2 iAUC ( = 0.06) and post-prandial LEAP-2 stimulation ( = 0.02). Higher post-LEAP-2 tended to relate to a lower desire to eat 120 min of sweet (r = 0.40, = 0.07) and salty foods (r = 0.41, = 0.06), as well as lower AG (r = -0.51, = 0.01) and higher FFA iAUC (r = 0.56, = 0.007) post-treatment. : LCD, with or without INT, reduced fasting LEAP-2, but only LCD raised post-prandial LEAP-2. How diet and exercise impact LEAP-2 for lower chronic disease risk awaits further investigation.