Blunted fasting-induced decreases in plasma and CSF leptin concentrations in obese rats: the role of increased leptin secretion.
Fasting substantially decreases plasma leptin concentration. However, in obesity, the fasting-induced decrease in leptin concentration is blunted or absent. The objective of the current study was to determine in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats the contribution of altered leptin secretion and leptin expression to the blunted nutritional regulation of leptin concentration. Fasting-induced decreases in plasma leptin concentration were greater in lean (standard chow (SC)) rats compared to DIO (approximately 79 vs approximately 48%, P<0.05 for DIO vs SC). CSF leptin was significantly reduced by fasting in SC (approximately 46%) but not in DIO. Fasting decreased adipose tissue leptin secretion in both SC and DIO, but the decrease was greater in SC (average approximately 74%) compared to DIO (average approximately 44%, P<0.05, DIO vs SC). Additionally, leptin secretion in fasted DIO was substantially greater (average approximately 175%) than in fasted SC (P<0.05). Adipose tissue leptin protein content was increased by approximately 80% in DIO compared to SC (P<0.05). We conclude that a probable cause of blunted fasting-induced decreases in leptin concentration in obesity is elevated leptin secretion, which possibly results from increased leptin gene expression.
O'Doherty
R M
RM
Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. odohertyr@msx.dept-med.pitt.edu
Nguyen
L
L
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin