Anterior pituitary leptin expression changes in different reproductive states: in vitro stimulation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

ABSTRACT: This study was designed to learn more about the changes in expression of rat anterior pituitary (AP) leptin during the estrous cycle. QRT-PCR assays of cycling rat AP leptin mRNA showed 2-fold increases from metestrus to diestrus followed by an 86% decrease on the morning of proestrus. Percentages of leptin cells increased in proestrus and pregnancy to 55-60% of AP cells. Dual labeling for leptin proteins and growth hormone (GH) or gonadotropins showed that the rise in leptin protein-bearing cells from diestrus to proestrus was mainly in GH cells. Only 10-20% of leptin cells in male or cycling female rats coexpress gonadotropins. In contrast, 50-73% of leptin cells from pregnant or lactating females coexpress gonadotropins and only 19% coexpress GH, indicating plasticity in the distributio

SUBMITTER: Akhter N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1780073 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature