title: Leptin receptor mRNA in bull ejaculated spermatozoa.
abstract: Leptin is a potential satiety factor and plays an important role in both metabolism and reproduction; both leptin and its receptor (Ob-R) have been detected in human spermatozoa, thus suggesting leptin involvement in male gamete physiology. This experiment was designed to investigate leptin receptor [the long isoform (Ob-Rb)] mRNA in bull ejaculated spermatozoa by RT-PCR and southern hybridization. Total RNA was isolated from ejaculated spermatozoa and purified by different methods. Although the concentrations of RNA determined by all methods (except SDS/Proteinase K, lowest amount of RNA recovery) were similar, ethidium bromide staining was only detectable in lanes containing the samples isolated by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and SDS/citric acid extraction which produced higher RNA concentration. Ob-Rb mRNA was detected in all samples using southern hybridization after RT-PCR; it was shown only in three of them by RT-PCR. We may conclude that Ob-Rb mRNA is present in bull spermatozoa and leptin perhaps exerts physiological effects, as already demonstrated in humans and pigs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikbakht
authors.forename: M Roostaei Ali
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mehr
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baghbanzadeh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tajik
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tamanini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054411:Receptors, Leptin