title: Effect of leptin on the regulation of placental hormone secretion in cultured human placental cells.
abstract: Placenta is an important source of leptin during pregnancy that contributes to the high plasma leptin levels in pregnant women. Leptin and its functional receptors are synthesized in trophoblast cells that, in turn, secrete gestational hormones supporting a paracrine or autocrine role for leptin in the endocrine activity of the placenta. In the present study we examined the effect of leptin on in vitro release of gestational hormones (human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hPL), progesterone, estrogens and testosterone) by human term placental cells in culture. Placentas at term were obtained immediately after delivery from mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies. Progesterone, hCG, hPL, estradiol, estrone, estriol and testosterone levels were measured by different assays in culture media of cells maintained in monolayer culture after incubation for 12, 24, 48 or 72 h with leptin or placebo. Incubation with leptin did not modify hCG, hPL, progesterone, estriol and estrone secretion for any of the doses and times assayed. However, leptin led to a dose-dependent decrease in estradiol release. This effect was observed when treatment with recombinant human leptin spanned from 12 to 72 h. At this time an increase in testosterone levels was observed in leptin-treated cells versus placebo. These results indicate that leptin can be considered a gestational hormone implied in the endocrine function of the placenta, with an important role in control of the production of steroid reproductive hormones in placental cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Hormone Laboratory, Hospital de Cruces, Barakaldo, Spain. hegazkin@euskalnet.net
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coya
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martul
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Algorta
authors.forename: Ma Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aniel-Quiroga
authors.forename: Ma Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Busturia
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Señarís
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D004964:Estriol / Q000378:metabolism; D004970:Estrone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010926:Placental Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D020738:Leptin; D010926:Placental Hormones; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D010928:Placental Lactogen; D004964:Estriol