Prospective function of placental leptin at maternal-fetal interface.
Leptin is an endocrine and a growth factor which is important for regulation of body fat, feeding, and energy homeostasis. The anti-obesity function of leptin has been recently extended to reproduction, puberty and pregnancy as an endocrine signal to the hypothalamus. Leptin controls the functional integrity of the feto-placental unit thereby maintaining pregnancy by virtue of its immunomodulatory property via T lymphocytes or other proto-oncogenes. Dysregulation of autocrine/paracrine function of leptin at feto-placento-maternal interface may be implicated in the pathogenesis of recurrent miscarriage gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine fetal growth retardation including disturbance of fetal bone turnover. This review will focus on the role of leptin in normal and abnormal pregnancy and fetal growth.
Bajoria
R
R
Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Whitworth Park, Manchester M13 0JH, UK. rbajoria@doctors.net.uk
Sooranna
S R
SR
Ward
B S
BS
Chatterjee
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000502:physiology*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D015398:Signal Transduction
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C515448:LEPR protein, human; D020738:Leptin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin