title: Leptin enhances NMDA receptor function and modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity.
abstract: The obese gene product leptin is an important signaling protein that regulates food intake and body weight via activation of the hypothalamic leptin receptor (Ob-Rb; Jacob et al., 1997). However, there is growing evidence that Ob-Rb is also expressed in CNS regions, not directly associated with energy homeostasis (Mercer et al., 1996; Hakansson et al., 1998). In the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in learning and memory, we have found that leptin facilitates the induction of synaptic plasticity. Leptin converts short-term potentiation of synaptic transmission induced by primed burst stimulation of the Schaffer collateral commissural pathway into long-term potentiation. The mechanism underlying this effect involves facilitation of NMDA receptor function because leptin rapidly enhances NMDA-induced increases in intracellular Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) and facilitates NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor-mediated synaptic transmission. The signaling mechanism underlying these effects involves activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Src tyrosine kinases. These data indicate that a novel action of leptin in the CNS is to facilitate hippocampal synaptic plasticity via enhanced NMDA receptor-mediated Ca(2+) influx. Impairment of this process may contribute to the cognitive deficits associated with diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Shanley
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Irving
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harvey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020738:Leptin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D021122:Protein Subunits; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D020738:Leptin; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D021122:Protein Subunits; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D019061:src-Family Kinases