瘦素转运入脑过程的抑制导致小鼠妊娠期的瘦素抵抗

瘦素是一种由脂肪组织分泌的激素,作用于下丘脑发挥抑制食欲、增加代谢率的作用。在妊娠期间,进食量和外周血瘦素浓度都增加,提示大脑对瘦素变得不敏感,但妊娠期瘦素抵抗的发生机制仍不清楚。血脑屏障的结构可塑性以及载体介导的瘦素向脑内转运过程的改变,是两个可能的瘦素抵抗机制,作者对这两个假说进行了实验验证。在环境发生变化时,血脑屏障会发生结构改变,如紧密连接蛋白ZO-1的表达和有孔毛细血管数增加,而这些结构的改变可以调节外周大分子物质的入脑过程。作者在处女鼠、妊娠期鼠和哺乳期鼠的脑弓状核和正中隆起处,对脑室膜细胞标志分子vimentin、ZO-1和有孔毛细血管标志分子MECA-32进行标记,结果发现三组小鼠的血脑屏障结构没有明显差异。这提示,妊娠期瘦素抵抗不是通过血脑屏障的结构可塑性实现的。     

脂肪细胞因子对代谢的调节

脂肪组织可将多余能量以甘油三酯(triglycerides,TG)形式储存,在饥饿状态下可分解TG产生游离脂肪酸(free fatty acids,FFAs)为机体供能。此外,脂肪组织还具有体温调节和器官保护功能,并且越来越多的证据表明,脂肪组织也是一种重要的内分泌组织。脂肪组织分泌的蛋白质物质被称为脂肪细胞因子(adipokine),可通过自分泌、旁分泌和内分泌方式发挥多种生物学功能,例如调节能量摄入和能量消耗,调节糖脂代谢,抗炎和促炎反应。对整体而言,脂肪细胞因子可调节大脑、肝、肌肉、血管系统、心、胰腺和免疫系统等不同靶器官的生物反应。其中,脂肪细胞因子在糖脂代谢中发挥特定的作用,包括:葡萄糖代谢[瘦素(leptin)、脂联素(adiponectin)、抵抗素(resistin)];胰岛素敏感性 [瘦素、脂联素、锌-α2-糖蛋白(zinc-α2-glycoprotein,ZAG)];脂肪形成[骨形成蛋白4(bone morphogenetic protein 4,BMP4)]等生物反应过程。但目前对脂肪组织功能障碍与代谢之间机制的理解尚不完善。脂肪组织功能发生紊乱时,脂肪细胞因子的分泌会发生改变,并可能导致一系列与肥胖相关的代谢性疾病的发生。临床前和临床研究表明,激活或抑制特定脂肪细胞因子的信号转导可能是一种适合干预代谢疾病的方法。本文就部分脂肪细胞因子对代谢的调控作用做出综述,以增强对脂肪细胞因子功能的理解。     

脂肪组织的免疫功能

脂肪组织不仅是能量的储备器官,也是一个重要的内分泌器官.它协助神经系统和其他内分泌器官维持机体的内平衡.近年来,一些研究表明脂肪组织与免疫反应有着密切的联系.人们发现脂肪细胞分泌的瘦素不仅调节机体的能量代谢和控制脂肪的积累,还参与调节单核细胞、巨噬细胞和淋巴细胞的免疫功能,是一种作用广泛的细胞因子.脂肪细胞分泌的其他因子如脂联素也有免疫调节作用.免疫刺激还会作用于淋巴结周围的脂肪组织,引起这些脂肪细胞发生脂解作用.脂肪组织与免疫系统的相互作用,进一步表明生命是由各系统组成的一个有机统一体.随着对这一领域的研究不断深入,可能为某些疾病的治疗提供新的途径.     

体重是否是“稳态”调控的?——来自Rcan2的启示

体重及脂肪组织被认为受到能量稳态机制的严格调控,即脂肪细胞分泌的、显示机体脂肪含量的信号分子——瘦素通过下丘脑的信号通路对体重进行双向调控.近几十年来肥胖在全球暴发,肥胖个体中过量的瘦素并未抑制体重的增长,该现象被归因于"瘦素抵抗".然而最近有证据显示,肥胖发生过程中瘦素功能没有改变,瘦素抵抗不存在.因此体重是否受稳态调控存有争议.而本研究组发现一种依赖R c a n 2基因且不受瘦素抑制的增加摄食及体重的机制,伴有高脂肪食物时可导致体重快速增加进而产生肥胖,该发现可为肥胖的流行提供新的解释.     

荷叶水提物对实验性肥胖大鼠脂代谢的影响及机制

目的：探讨荷叶水提物的减肥降脂作用及机制。方法：通过离体脂肪组织灌流实验观察荷叶水提物对正常SD大鼠离体脂肪组织游离脂肪酸（FFA）释放的影响;利用高糖高脂饮食诱导建立实验性肥胖大鼠模型,探讨荷叶水提物给药4周后,大鼠体重和血脂水平的变化,并采用RT-PCR和免疫组化技术对脂肪组织过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ（PPAR-γ）和瘦素（leptin）表达进行检测。结果：离体实验发现荷叶水提物可明显促进离体脂肪组织FFA的释放。在体实验发现中剂量荷叶（60 mg/kg）与奥利斯他相似,可使实验性肥胖大鼠体重、血脂水平明显下降（P<0.05）,使脂肪组织PPAR-γ和瘦素的表达明显下降（P<0.05）。结论：荷叶水提物可通过改善大鼠脂肪组织PPAR-γ和leptin的表达,促进脂肪的动员和分解,降低肥胖大鼠体重和血脂水平,有望研发为减肥药物。     

脂肪因子瘦素和内脂素与心房颤动关系的研究

摘要 目的：心房颤动（Atrial fibrillation,AF）是最常见的心律失常之一,其发生机制目前尚未完全阐明。多项研究表明脂肪因子（Adipokines）中的瘦素（leptin）、内脂素（Visfatin）与心血管疾病的关系密切,本研究拟探讨瘦素、内脂素与心房颤动的关系。方法：本研究通过收集检测AF组、窦性心律组外周血及心外膜脂肪组织,检测瘦素、内脂素分泌水平来探讨瘦素、内脂素与AF发生的相关性。结果：房颤组血清内脂素的平均浓度为15.95±10.44 ng/mL,窦性心律组为20.28±12.90 ng/mL（P=0.169）;房颤组血清瘦素的平均浓度为1.48 ng/mL,窦律组为2.56 ng/mL（P=0.0027）,窦性心律组血清瘦素水平明显高于心房颤动组;心外膜脂肪组织中,瘦素在房颤组中的表达量显著低于窦性心律组（P=0.032）,内脂素在两组中的表达无显著统计学差异（P=0.06）。结论：临床患者外周血血清及心外膜脂肪组织中高水平的瘦素可能降低房颤的发生率,然而,内脂素与房颤可能不具有相关性。     

DHA对高脂食物诱导体重增加的保护作用的研究

目的为了探索DHA抑制高脂食物诱导的脂肪增加的机制。方法本研究通过给C57BL/6小鼠饲喂普通食物(C57BL/6 C组),45%高脂食物(C57BL/6 H组)以及45%高脂食物加DHA(每克食物0. 2 g的DHA)(FAD3 C组)和(每克食物0. 4 g的DHA)(FAD3 H组),20周。第19周测定静止代谢率,20周处死动物检测血清瘦素、甘油三酯的浓度,以及白色脂肪组织和褐色脂肪组织中脂肪分化因子和褐色基因的表达。结果研究发现高脂食物导致C57BL/6 H组的体重、体脂、瘦素和甘油三酯最高(P0. 05)。与C57BL/6 H组相比,DHA降低了体重、体脂、瘦素和甘油三酯(P0. 05),并且有剂量依赖性。在白色脂肪中,DHA降低了高脂食物诱导的PPARγ、CEBPα和SREP1c mRNA表达的增加(P0. 05)。与对照组相比,DHA显著增加白色脂肪组织和褐色脂肪组织中脂肪褐色化基因PGC1αmRNA和UCP1 mRNA表达(P0. 05)。结论食物补充DHA通过增加产热基因的表达,增加静止代谢率、降低白色脂肪和褐色脂肪的脂肪分化基因的表达,从而降低高脂食物诱导的体重增加。     

饮食诱导肥胖及肥胖抵抗与脂肪细胞因子

Levin提出饮食诱导肥胖（DIO）与饮食诱导肥胖抵抗（DIO-R）的概念后,其发生机制受到了广泛关注。现代研究认为脂肪组织除了能调节能量代谢外,还可以分泌多种细胞因子,如瘦素、脂联素、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和抵抗素等。在已发现的脂肪细胞因子中,瘦素、TNF-α和脂联素等与肥胖的发生密切关联。DIO大鼠血清瘦素水平比DIO-R大鼠高,DIO大鼠瘦素敏感性降低,发生了瘦素抵抗。DIO小鼠血浆脂联素水平比DIO-R小鼠低。DIO组TNF-α水平明显高于DIO-R组。     

瘦素的结构与功能研究进展

瘦素是脂肪组织分泌的多肽类激素,具有广泛的生理功能,它由167个氨基酸残基组成,分子量约为16kD,瘦素分子中有4个α－螺旋,它们呈升－升－降－降排列,折叠成独特的四螺旋束结构。瘦素分子的改变能引起其生理功能的显著改变。研究表明,构建的瘦素22－56肽段、116－130肽段和116－122肽段等瘦素类似物都具有独立的生物活性。     

Human leptin signaling in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells: activation of the JAK-STAT pathway

Leptin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone that centrally regulates weight control. However, the leptin receptor is expressed not only in the central nervous system, but also in other systems, such as reproductive, hematopoietic, and immune tissues, suggesting various roles in addition to the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. The leptin receptor bears homology to members of the class I cytokine receptor family. Leptin has previously been shown to enhance cytokine production by murine peritoneal macrophages and human circulating monocytes, where human leptin promotes activation and proliferation. We have recently found that the leptin receptor is expressed not only in monocytes but also in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Besides, leptin enhances proliferation and activation of T lymphocytes when they are costimulated by PHA or Con A. In this paper, we have studied the signal transduction of the leptin receptor in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We found that leptin stimulation activates the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. More specifically, we found that JAK-2/3 and STAT-3 are activated by tyrosine phosphorylation upon leptin stimulation. Moreover, leptin stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the RNA binding protein Sam68 and its association with STAT-3. These effects were dose-dependent (0.1-10 nM) and transient (5-30 min). We also observed the leptin stimulated translocation of activated STAT-3 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. These results indicate that human leptin receptor in circulating mononuclear cells has the signaling capacity to activate JAK-STAT cascade. This pathway may mediate, at least in part, the action of human leptin in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.     

Effect of leptin on insulin, glugacon and somatostatin secretion in the perfused rat pancreas.

We have investigated the effect of rat leptin as well as the 22-56 fragment of this molecule on pancreatic hormone secretion in the perfused rat pancreas. In pancreases from fed rats, leptin failed to alter the insulin secretion elicited by glucose, arginine or tolbutamide, but inhibited the insulin response to both CCK-8 and carbachol, secretagogues known to act on the B-cell by increasing phospholipid turnover. This insulinostatic effect was also observed with the 22-56 leptin fragment. In pancreases obtained from 24-hour fasted rats, no effect of leptin on carbachol-induced insulin output was found, perhaps as a consequence of depressed B-cell phospholipid metabolism. Leptin did not influence glucagon or somatostatin release. Our results do not support the concept of leptin as a major regulator of B-cell function. Leptin inhibition of carbachol-induced insulin output might reflect a restraining effect of this peptide on the cholinergic stimulation of insulin release.     

Expression of leptin and its receptor in the murine ovary: possible role in the regulation of oocyte maturation

Leptin is a product of the ob gene that is produced primarily by adipose tissue. Leptin and its receptors are found within the ovary, but it is unclear what function this hormone has in the ovary. Using immunohistochemistry, we determined that leptin is found in most cell types in the murine ovary, with the highest staining levels observed in the oocyte. Leptin receptor was also expressed in all of the main ovarian cell types, with the thecal cell layer exhibiting the highest staining levels. Leptin administration did not affect spontaneous or induced maturation of either isolated denuded oocytes or cumulus-oocyte complexes, but it did significantly increase the rate of meiotic resumption in preovulatory follicle-enclosed oocytes (P < 0.01). Measurements of cAMP within oocytes cultured with leptin showed that this enhanced ability to resume meiosis does not occur via activation of phosphodiesterase 3B and subsequent cAMP reduction. These results provide evidence that leptin affects oocyte maturation when the oocyte is cultured within its normal follicular environment. It is suggested that leptin may induce the production of another factor, possibly from thecal cells, that directly or indirectly acts on the oocyte to initiate germinal vesicle breakdown in this species.     

Leptin: linking adipocyte metabolism with cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases

Leptin was originally discovered as an adipocyte-derived hormone involved in the central control of body weight and energy homeostasis. It is now clear that leptin is a pleiotropic cytokine, with activities on many peripheral cell types. These findings may help explain the surprising role of leptin in pathophysiological processes. Recent evidence suggests that leptin contributes to atherosclerosis and to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in obese people. Leptin also appears to be involved in T-cell-dependent immunity and possibly in the development and maintenance of certain autoimmune diseases. Here, we review the role of leptin in cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, and also briefly address the potential therapeutic use of leptin antagonists.     

Leptin enhances survival and induces migration, degranulation, and cytokine synthesis of human basophils

Basophils are the rarest leukocytes in human blood, but they are now recognized as one of the most important immunomodulatory as well as effector cells in allergic inflammation. Leptin, a member of the IL-6 cytokine family, has metabolic effects as an adipokine, and it is also known to participate in the pathogenesis of inflammatory reactions. Because there is an epidemiologic relationship between obesity and allergy, we examined whether basophil functions are modified by leptin. We found that human basophils express leptin receptor (LepR) at both the mRNA and surface protein levels, which were upregulated by IL-33. Leptin exerted strong effects on multiple basophil functions. It induced a strong migratory response in human basophils, similar in potency to that of basophil-active chemokines. Also, leptin enhanced survival of human basophils, although its potency was less than that of IL-3. Additionally, CD63, a basophil activation marker expressed on the cell surface, was upregulated by leptin, an effect that was neutralized by blocking of LepR. Assessments of basophil degranulation and cytokine synthesis found that leptin showed a strong priming effect on human basophil degranulation in response to FcεRI aggregation and induced Th2, but not Th1, cytokine production by the cells. In summary, the present findings indicate that leptin may be a key molecule mediating the effects of adipocytes on inflammatory cells such as basophils by binding to LepR and activating the cellular functions, presumably exacerbating allergic inflammation.     

The effect of leptin on mouse trophoblast cell invasion

The hormone leptin is produced by adipose tissue and can function as a signal of nutritional status to the reproductive system. The expression of leptin receptor and, in some species, leptin, in the placenta suggests a role for leptin in placental development, but this role has not been elucidated. Leptin is required at the time of embryo implantation in the leptin-deficient ob/ ob mouse and has been shown to upregulate expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes involved in trophoblast invasion, in cultured human trophoblast cells. This led us to the hypothesis that leptin promotes the invasiveness of trophoblast cells crucial to placental development. We found that leptin stimulated mouse trophoblast cell invasion through a matrigel-coated insert on Day 10, but not Day 18 of pregnancy. Optimal stimulation occurred at a concentration of 50 ng/ml leptin, similar to the peak plasma leptin concentration during pregnancy in the mouse. Leptin treatment did not stimulate proliferation of mouse trophoblast cells in primary culture. Leptin stimulation of invasion was prevented by 25 muM GM6001, an inhibitor of MMP activity. Our results suggest that leptin may play a role in the establishment of the placenta during early pregnancy and that this function is dependent on MMP activity. This effect of leptin may represent one mechanism by which body condition affects placental development.     

The role of leptin in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism

The hormone leptin is secreted from white adipocytes, and serum levels of leptin correlate with adipose tissue mass. Leptin was first described as acting on the satiety centre in the hypothalamus through specific receptors (ob-R) to restrict food intake and enhance energy expenditure. Leptin plays a crucial role in the maintenance of body weight and glucose homeostasis hrough central and peripheral pathways, including regulation of insulin secretion by pancreatic b cells. Leptin may also directly affect the metabolism and function of peripheral tissues. Leptin has been implicated in causing peripheral insulin resistance by attenuating insulin action, and perhaps insulin signalling, in various insulin-responsive cell types. Research has demonstrated a significant relationship between leptin and insulin, but the mechanisms underlying the changes of leptin induced by insulin, and vice versa, remain to be studied in more detail. Recent data provides convincing evidence that leptin has beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis in mouse models of insulin-deficient type 1 diabetes mellitus. Our study suggests that leptin could be used as an adjunct of insulin therapy in insulin-deficient diabetes, thereby providing an insight into the therapeutic properties of leptin as an anti-diabetic agent. Safety evaluation should include a careful assessment of the effects of this combination therapy on the counterregulatory response to hypoglycaemia. The role of leptin in alpha-cell function has not been studied in detail. Extensive studies will be needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of this therapy.     

Leptin-induced satiation mediated by abdominal vagal afferents

Leptin is a hormone secreted into the systemic blood primarily by white adipose tissue. However, leptin also is synthesized and stored by cells in the gastric mucosa. Because gastric mucosal leptin is secreted in response to ingestion of a meal, we hypothesized that it might contribute to satiation (meal termination) by acting on gastrointestinal vagal afferent neurons. To test whether leptin is capable of acutely reducing short-term food intake, we measured consumption of a liquid meal (15% sucrose) following low-dose leptin administration via the celiac artery, which perfuses the upper gastrointestinal tract. Leptin (1, 3, 10 mug) was infused via a chronically implanted, nonocclusive celiac arterial catheter or via a jugular vein catheter with its tip in the right cardiac atrium. Fifteen percent sucrose intake was then measured for 30 min. We found that leptin dose dependently inhibited sucrose intake when infused through the celiac catheter but not when infused into the general circulation via a jugular catheter. Plasma leptin concentrations in the general circulation following celiac arterial or jugular leptin infusions were not significantly different. Celiac arterial leptin infusion did not reduce meal size in vagotomized or capsaicin-treated rats. Finally, we also found that reduction of meal size by celiac leptin infusion was markedly enhanced when coinfused with cholecystokinin, a gastrointestinal satiety peptide whose action depends on vagal afferent neurons. Our results support the hypothesis that leptin contributes to satiation by a mechanism dependent on gastrointestinal vagal afferent innervation of the upper gastrointestinal tract.     

The many lives of leptin

Leptin is a 16,000-Da protein which is secreted by fat but acts within the brain to regulate adiposity. Our Peptides Classic addressed the mystery of how such a large molecule could negotiate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a structure which normally excludes proteins from the brain. We found that leptin was transported across the BBB by a saturable transport system. This finding was important to understanding how satiety-related peptides and proteins worked, but it was also important to the concept that the BBB is a regulatory interface important in brain-body communication. Obesity in humans and many animals is associated with a leptin resistant state rather than a leptin deficiency. Subsequent work has shown that a defect in the BBB transport of leptin is key in producing and reinforcing this state of resistance. Leptin is pluripotent and the concept of it being primarily an adipostat is being discarded for more encompassing views. Consideration of the BBB data would favor the view that ancestral levels of leptin were much lower than those currently considered normal and are consistent with leptin acting as a metabolic switch, informing the brain when fat reserves are adequate to direct energy expenditures towards activities other than seeking calories.     

Leptin and leptin receptor: Analysis of a structure to function relationship in interaction and evolution from humans to fish

Leptin is a circulating protein which regulates dietary intake through binding the leptin receptor. Numerous labs have used known structures and mutagenesis to study this binding process in common animal models (human, mouse and rat). Understanding this binding process in other vertebrate species will allow for a better understanding of leptin and leptin receptor function. The binding site between leptin and leptin receptor is highly conserved in mammals as confirmed through sequence alignments mapped onto structures of both leptin and leptin receptor. More variation in this interaction is found in lizard and frog sequences. Using our models, we show that the avian leptin sequences have far less variation in the binding site than does the leptin receptor. This analysis further suggests that avian leptins are artifactual. In fish, gene duplication events have led to the expression of multiple leptin proteins. These multiple leptin proteins have variation in the regions interacting with leptin receptor. In zebrafish and the Japanese rice fish, we propose that leptin A has a higher binding energy than does B. Differing binding energies are evidence of either divergent functions, different binding confirmations, or other protein partners of leptin B.