Leptin plays a role in ruptured human brain arteriovenous malformations.
BACKGROUND
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most common clinical manifestations of human brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM). However, the hemorrhagic mechanism of BAVM is still unclear. Leptin, first discovered in obesity research, has not been systematically studied in BAVM and ICH. We investigated expression and effect of leptin on human BAVM.


METHODS
Specimens were obtained from 6 BAVM patients, who had been divided into either hemorrhagic or non-hemorrhagic groups. Leptin, leptin receptor, and signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 (STAT3) were analyzed by different methods, such as gene chips, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. Perinidal brain tissue around each BAVM served as control.


RESULTS
Gene chips and RT-PCR found transcriptional leptin raised at least 2 levels in hemorrhagic BAVM. Immunohistochemical slices also showed higher expression of leptin, leptin receptor, and STAT3 on nidus part of hemorrhagic BAVM than non-hemorrhagic ones. On Western blot analysis, hemorrhagic BAVMs had higher levels of leptin (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The transcriptional and translational levels of leptin, leptin receptor, and STAT3 were higher in hemorrhagic BAVM, suggesting that leptin may play an important role in the hemorrhagic mechanism of BAVM.
Xie
Q
Q
Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Chen
X C
XC
Gong
Y
Y
Gu
Y X
YX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
D020738:Leptin; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human