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Skowronski AA, Leibel RL, LeDuc CA. Neurodevelopmental Programming of Adiposity: Contributions to Obesity Risk. Endocr Rev 2024; 45:253-280. [PMID: 37971140 PMCID: PMC10911958 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
This review analyzes the published evidence regarding maternal factors that influence the developmental programming of long-term adiposity in humans and animals via the central nervous system (CNS). We describe the physiological outcomes of perinatal underfeeding and overfeeding and explore potential mechanisms that may mediate the impact of such exposures on the development of feeding circuits within the CNS-including the influences of metabolic hormones and epigenetic changes. The perinatal environment, reflective of maternal nutritional status, contributes to the programming of offspring adiposity. The in utero and early postnatal periods represent critically sensitive developmental windows during which the hormonal and metabolic milieu affects the maturation of the hypothalamus. Maternal hyperglycemia is associated with increased transfer of glucose to the fetus driving fetal hyperinsulinemia. Elevated fetal insulin causes increased adiposity and consequently higher fetal circulating leptin concentration. Mechanistic studies in animal models indicate important roles of leptin and insulin in central and peripheral programming of adiposity, and suggest that optimal concentrations of these hormones are critical during early life. Additionally, the environmental milieu during development may be conveyed to progeny through epigenetic marks and these can potentially be vertically transmitted to subsequent generations. Thus, nutritional and metabolic/endocrine signals during perinatal development can have lifelong (and possibly multigenerational) impacts on offspring body weight regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja A Skowronski
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rudolph L Leibel
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Charles A LeDuc
- Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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2
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Insights into leptin signaling and male reproductive health: the missing link between overweight and subfertility? Biochem J 2018; 475:3535-3560. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Obesity stands as one of the greatest healthcare challenges of the 21st century. Obesity in reproductive-age men is ever more frequent and is reaching upsetting levels. At the same time, fertility has taken an inverse direction and is decreasing, leading to an increased demand for fertility treatments. In half of infertile couples, there is a male factor alone or combined with a female factor. Furthermore, male fertility parameters such as sperm count and concentration went on a downward spiral during the last few decades and are now approaching the minimum levels established to achieve successful fertilization. Hence, the hypothesis that obesity and deleterious effects in male reproductive health, as reflected in deterioration of sperm parameters, are somehow related is tempting. Most often, overweight and obese individuals present leptin levels directly proportional to the increased fat mass. Leptin, besides the well-described central hypothalamic effects, also acts in several peripheral organs, including the testes, thus highlighting a possible regulatory role in male reproductive function. In the last years, research focusing on leptin effects in male reproductive function has unveiled additional roles and molecular mechanisms of action for this hormone at the testicular level. Herein, we summarize the novel molecular signals linking metabolism and male reproductive function with a focus on leptin signaling, mitochondria and relevant pathways for the nutritional support of spermatogenesis.
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Steinbrekera B, Roghair R. Modeling the impact of growth and leptin deficits on the neuronal regulation of blood pressure. J Endocrinol 2016; 231:R47-R60. [PMID: 27613336 PMCID: PMC5148679 DOI: 10.1530/joe-16-0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The risk of hypertension is increased by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth. In the search for modifiable etiologies for this life-threatening cardiovascular morbidity, a number of pathways have been investigated, including excessive glucocorticoid exposure, nutritional deficiency and aberration in sex hormone levels. As a neurotrophic hormone that is intimately involved in the cardiovascular regulation and whose levels are influenced by glucocorticoids, nutritional status and sex hormones, leptin has emerged as a putative etiologic and thus a therapeutic agent. As a product of maternal and late fetal adipocytes and the placenta, circulating leptin typically surges late in gestation and declines after delivery until the infant consumes sufficient leptin-containing breast milk or accrues sufficient leptin-secreting adipose tissue to reestablish the circulating levels. The leptin deficiency seen in IUGR infants is a multifactorial manifestation of placental insufficiency, exaggerated glucocorticoid exposure and fetal adipose deficit. The preterm infant suffers from the same cascade of events, including separation from the placenta, antenatal steroid exposure and persistently underdeveloped adipose depots. Preterm infants remain leptin deficient beyond term gestation, rendering them susceptible to neurodevelopmental impairment and subsequent cardiovascular dysregulation. This pathologic pathway is efficiently modeled by placing neonatal mice into atypically large litters, thereby recapitulating the perinatal growth restriction-adult hypertension phenotype. In this model, neonatal leptin supplementation restores the physiologic leptin surge, attenuates the leptin-triggered sympathetic activation in adulthood and prevents leptin- or stress-evoked hypertension. Further pathway interrogation and clinical translation are needed to fully test the therapeutic potential of perinatal leptin supplementation.
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MESH Headings
- Adiposity
- Adult
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Disease Models, Animal
- Female
- Fetal Growth Retardation/drug therapy
- Fetal Growth Retardation/metabolism
- Fetal Growth Retardation/physiopathology
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Humans
- Hypertension/etiology
- Hypertension/metabolism
- Hypertension/prevention & control
- Hypothalamus/metabolism
- Infant, Newborn
- Infant, Premature
- Infant, Premature, Diseases/drug therapy
- Infant, Premature, Diseases/metabolism
- Infant, Premature, Diseases/physiopathology
- Leptin/deficiency
- Leptin/genetics
- Leptin/metabolism
- Leptin/therapeutic use
- Male
- Mice
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/agonists
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders/drug therapy
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders/metabolism
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders/physiopathology
- Pregnancy
- Receptors, Leptin/agonists
- Receptors, Leptin/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/metabolism
- Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use
- Signal Transduction
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiba Steinbrekera
- Stead Family Department of PediatricsCarver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Robert Roghair
- Stead Family Department of PediatricsCarver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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4
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Blanquer-Rosselló MM, Santandreu FM, Oliver J, Roca P, Valle A. Leptin Modulates Mitochondrial Function, Dynamics and Biogenesis in MCF-7 Cells. J Cell Biochem 2016; 116:2039-48. [PMID: 25752935 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The adipokine leptin, known for its key role in the control of energy metabolism, has been shown to be involved in both normal and tumoral mammary growth. One of the hallmarks of cancer is an alteration of tumor metabolism since cancerous cells must rewire metabolism to satisfy the demands of growth and proliferation. Considering the sensibility of breast cancer cells to leptin, the objective of this study was to explore the effects of this adipokine on their metabolism. To this aim, we treated the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with 50 ng/mL leptin and analyzed several features related to cellular and mitochondrial metabolism. As a result, leptin increased cell proliferation, shifted ATP production from glycolysis to mitochondria and decreased the levels of the glycolytic end-product lactate. We observed an improvement in ADP-dependent oxygen consumption and an amelioration of oxidative stress without changes in total mitochondrial mass or specific oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes. Furthermore, RT-PCR and western blot showed an up-regulation for genes and proteins related to biogenesis and mitochondrial dynamics. This expression signature, together with an increased mitophagy observed by confocal microscopy suggests that leptin may improve mitochondrial quality and function. Taken together, our results propose that leptin may improve bioenergetic efficiency by avoiding the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and conferring benefits for growth and survival of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mar Blanquer-Rosselló
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisca M Santandreu
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Pilar Roca
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adamo Valle
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain.,Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Blanquer-Rosselló MDM, Oliver J, Sastre-Serra J, Valle A, Roca P. Leptin regulates energy metabolism in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2016; 72:18-26. [PMID: 26772821 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is known to be a poorer prognosis factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Among the diverse endocrine factors associated to obesity, leptin has received special attention since it promotes breast cancer cell growth and invasiveness, processes which force cells to adapt their metabolism to satisfy the increased demands of energy and biosynthetic intermediates. Taking this into account, our aim was to explore the effects of leptin in the metabolism of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Polarographic analysis revealed that leptin increased oxygen consumption rate and cellular ATP levels were more dependent on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in leptin-treated cells compared to the more glycolytic control cells. Experiments with selective inhibitors of glycolysis (2-DG), fatty acid oxidation (etomoxir) or aminoacid deprivation showed that ATP levels were more reliant on fatty acid oxidation. In agreement, levels of key proteins involved in lipid catabolism (FAT/CD36, CPT1, PPARα) and phosphorylation of the energy sensor AMPK were increased by leptin. Regarding glucose, cellular uptake was not affected by leptin, but lactate release was deeply repressed. Analysis of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and pyruvate carboxylase (PC) together with the pentose-phosphate pathway enzyme glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) revealed that leptin favors the use of glucose for biosynthesis. These results point towards a role of leptin in metabolic reprogramming, consisting of an enhanced use of glucose for biosynthesis and lipids for energy production. This metabolic adaptations induced by leptin may provide benefits for MCF-7 growth and give support to the reverse Warburg effect described in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mª Del Mar Blanquer-Rosselló
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d́Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S., E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Jordi Oliver
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d́Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S., E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Jorge Sastre-Serra
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d́Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S., E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Adamo Valle
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d́Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S., E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain.
| | - Pilar Roca
- Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d́Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03) Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S., E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears, Spain
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Veselá PK, Kaniok R, Bayer M. Markers of bone metabolism, serum leptin levels and bone mineral density in preterm babies. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2016; 29:27-32. [PMID: 26181043 DOI: 10.1515/jpem-2013-0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The prospective study assessed the influence of serum leptin levels on markers of bone metabolism and bone mineral density in 2-year-old infants born preterm. A total of 57 randomized preterm Caucasian newborns (32nd-37th week of gestation) were included in the study. Bone metabolism markers were measured every 6 months. The infants were monitored prospectively up to the age of 2 years. When the infants turned 2 years of age, they were investigated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (lumbar spine). The median cord blood leptin levels was 3.07 μg/L. The median leptin level during check-ups before 2 years of age was 9.96 μg/L. The other laboratory markers were within the normal ranges for that age. The bone mineral density reached, on average, 0.410 g/cm2. Lower leptin levels in the cord blood and in the serum of preterm infants do not influence bone mineral density during the first 2 years of life.
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7
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Leptin: From structural insights to the design of antagonists. Life Sci 2015; 140:49-56. [PMID: 25998027 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2015.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
After its discovery in 1994, it soon became clear that leptin acts as an adipocyte-derived hormone with a central role in the control of body weight and energy homeostasis. However, a growing body of evidence has revealed that leptin is a pleiotropic cytokine with activities on many peripheral cell types. Inappropriate leptin signaling can promote autoimmunity, certain cardiovascular diseases, elevated blood pressure and cancer, which makes leptin and the leptin receptor interesting targets for antagonism. Profound insights in the leptin receptor (LR) activation mechanisms are a prerequisite for the rational design of these antagonists. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying leptin receptor activation and signaling. We also discuss the current strategies to interfere with leptin signaling and their therapeutic potential.
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van der Wijden CL, Delemarre-van der Waal HA, van Mechelen W, van Poppel MNM. The concurrent validity between leptin, BMI and skin folds during pregnancy and the year after. Nutr Diabetes 2013; 3:e86. [PMID: 24018614 PMCID: PMC3789130 DOI: 10.1038/nutd.2013.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2013] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: From a public health perspective it is important to know which of the currently used methods to estimate changes in maternal body fat during pregnancy and the year thereafter is the most adequate. Objectives: To evaluate the concurrent validity between leptin and surrogates of fat measures: body mass index (BMI) and the sum of four skin folds. Design: Data from the New Life(style) intervention study were analysed as a cohort study. Setting: Midwife practices in The Netherlands. Population: Healthy pregnant nulliparous women. Methods: Anthropometric measurements were done and blood was collected at 15, 25 and 35 weeks of pregnancy and at 6, 26 and 52 weeks after delivery. Data were used if at least 4 out of the 6 measurements were available, leaving 87 women in the analyses. Spearman's correlation coefficients between leptin and BMI and between leptin and the sum of skin folds were calculated for each time point and for the changes between the time points. Results: Correlations between leptin and BMI varied from 0.69 to 0.81. Correlations between leptin and the sum of skin folds were comparable, varying between 0.65 and 0.81. Correlations between changes in leptin and changes in BMI and the sum of skin folds, respectively, were much lower compared with cross-sectional correlations. Conclusion: Because of the high correlation among the three methods and because of the overlapping intervals, all methods seem to be equally adequate to estimate changes in maternal body fat during pregnancy and the year thereafter.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L van der Wijden
- 1] Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands [2] Department of Gynaecology, Medisch Centrum Jan van Goyen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Nickisch S, Kratzsch J, Gebauer C, Waldeyer T, Stepan H, Kiess W. Glucose tolerance in women 24 h postpartum is related to blood pressure, anthropometric data, and adipokine serum levels. Hypertens Pregnancy 2012; 31:228-39. [PMID: 22380524 DOI: 10.3109/10641955.2011.642437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To characterize glucose tolerance and adipokine serum levels in a cohort of women shortly after delivery. STUDY DESIGN A study population of healthy pregnant women (n = 65) was invited to undergo a standardized oral glucose tolerance test within 24 h after delivery at the University Hospital of Leipzig. As controls, 30 nonpregnant healthy, lean women were studied. Glucose, insulin, proinsulin, c-peptide, leptin, adiponectin, and soluble leptin receptor levels were compared in cases and controls by using the Mann-Whitney U two-sample statistics and correlation according to Spearman. RESULTS As compared to normal glucose tolerant (NGT) women postpartum, fasting c-peptide levels were significantly higher (NGT mothers = 0.23 nmol/L, controls: 0.49 nmol/L, p < 0.001), whereas proinsulin serum levels were significantly lower in nonpregnant controls (NGT mothers = 1.37 pmol/L, controls = 1.00 pmol/L, p = 0.05). Considering fasting adiponectin values, postpartum adiponectin was significantly decreased compared with controls (NGT mothers = 6.9 μg/L, controls = 8.9 μg/L, p = 0.05). Fasting serum levels of leptin (NGT mothers = 17 ng/mL, controls = 10.6 ng/mL, p < 0.009) and soluble leptin receptor (NGT mothers = 34.4 ng/mL, controls = 17.7 ng/mL, p < 0.001) were increased postpartum. CONCLUSION We found significantly lower adiponectin and higher leptin sera levels in women postpartum as compared to nonpregnant women. In addition, adipokine serum levels shortly after delivery were related to parameters of adiposity and glucose tolerance. We hypothesize that women in the post-delivery period exhibit biochemical features resembling metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance, and derangement of the adipokine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Nickisch
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Adipose tissue and reproduction in women. Fertil Steril 2010; 94:795-825. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.03.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2009] [Revised: 03/20/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Sullivan T, Micke G, Magalhaes R, Phillips N, Perry V. Dietary protein during gestation affects placental development in heifers. Theriogenology 2009; 72:427-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2009.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2008] [Revised: 03/03/2009] [Accepted: 03/28/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kiess W, Petzold S, Töpfer M, Garten A, Blüher S, Kapellen T, Körner A, Kratzsch J. Adipocytes and adipose tissue. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008; 22:135-53. [PMID: 18279785 DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2007.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
An epidemic of obesity is taking place in most societies around the world. Overall obesity substantially increases the risk of subsequent morbidity. In children and adolescents the degree of body fat mass depends upon ethnic background, gender, developmental stage and age. Obesity is characterized by increases in the number or size of fat cells, or a combination of both. It is generally believed that the number of fat cells depends on age of onset and degree of obesity. This chapter provides information on intrauterine growth of fetal adipose tissue, the earliest period of onset of proliferation, and some of the factors that interact to enhance or suppress development. Fetal adipose tissue development is regulated by the complex interaction of transcription factors, nutrients and adipocytokines. Maternal, endocrine, and paracrine factors also influence specific changes in angiogenesis, adipogenesis, and metabolism. During embryogenesis and in fetal life, leptin and adiponectin, two important adipocytokines, are present at high concentrations in the circulation and in tissues. Developmental stages and metabolic processes influenced by specific hormones and paracrine factors have been identified through examination of the offspring of obese and diabetic pregnancies, hormonal manipulation during late pregnancy in animal models, and the use of cell cultures. Collectively, the results of the studies cited herein delineate the basis for imprinting or conditioning of fetal pre-adipocytes at the paracrine/autocrine level, and of fetal adipose tissue development and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieland Kiess
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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D'Anna R, Baviera G, Cannata ML, De Vivo A, Di Benedetto A, Corrado F. Midtrimester amniotic fluid leptin and insulin levels and subsequent gestational diabetes. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2007; 64:65-8. [PMID: 17264515 DOI: 10.1159/000099149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2006] [Accepted: 12/18/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate midtrimester amniotic fluid leptin levels in pregnancies subsequently complicated by gestational diabetes. METHODS We studied 32 pregnant women with gestational diabetes and a control group of 43 normal pregnancies with an adequate gestational age fetus. All underwent a midtrimester amniocentesis: leptin and insulin were measured in the amniotic fluid. Data were compared with the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS Median leptin concentrations in the amniotic fluid of the gestational diabetes mellitus patients were significantly higher than in the control group (15.1 vs. 7.9 ng/ml) (p = 0.001); amniotic insulin concentrations were also higher in the gestational diabetes mellitus than in the control group (0.67 vs. 0.38 microU/ml) (p = 0.02). Furthermore, amniotic fluid leptin levels were directly correlated with amniotic insulin concentrations; instead, there was no correlation with maternal BMI and birth weight. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that in pregnancies subsequently complicated by gestational diabetes, amniotic fluid leptin and insulin levels are higher in the early fetal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario D'Anna
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
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Carvey PM, Zhao CH, Hendey B, Lum H, Trachtenberg J, Desai BS, Snyder J, Zhu YG, Ling ZD. 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced alterations in blood-brain barrier permeability. Eur J Neurosci 2006; 22:1158-68. [PMID: 16176358 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04281.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Vascular inflammation is well known for its ability to compromise the function of the blood--brain barrier (BBB). Whether inflammation on the parenchymal side of the barrier, such as that associated with Parkinson's-like dopamine (DA) neuron lesions, similarly disrupts BBB function, is unknown. We assessed BBB integrity by examining the leakage of FITC-labeled albumin or horseradish peroxidase from the vasculature into parenchyma in animals exposed to the DA neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA). Unilateral injections of 6OHDA into the striatum or the medial forebrain bundle produced increased leakage in the ipsilateral substantia nigra and striatum 10 and 34 days following 6OHDA. Microglia were markedly activated and DA neurons were reduced by the lesions. The areas of BBB leakage were associated with increased expression of P-glycoprotein and beta 3-integrin expression suggesting, respectively, a compensatory response to inflammation and possible angiogenesis. Behavioural studies revealed that domperidone, a DA antagonist that normally does not cross the BBB, attenuated apomorphine-induced stereotypic behaviour in animals with 6OHDA lesions. This suggests that drugs which normally have no effect in brain can enter following Parkinson-like lesions. These data suggest that the events associated with DA neuron loss compromise BBB function.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Carvey
- Rush University Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology, Cohn 406, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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Cagnacci A, Arangino S, Caretto S, Mazza V, Volpe A. Sexual dimorphism in the levels of amniotic fluid leptin in pregnancies at 16 weeks of gestation: relation to fetal growth. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2005; 124:53-7. [PMID: 16051417 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2004] [Revised: 02/02/2005] [Accepted: 05/17/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether in the first half of pregnancy levels of leptin in amniotic fluid are sexually dimorphic, and are related to fetal growth. STUDY DESIGN Samples of amniotic fluid were collected during amniocentesis from 211 pregnancies with a single fetus with a normal karyotype (107 from male fetuses). Fetal growth was evaluated at 16 and 32 weeks of gestation, by sonography, and in a subset of 137 women at delivery. RESULTS Amniotic fluid leptin was significantly lower in male than female fetuses (7.91+/-0.36 ng/ml versus 10.45+/-0.38 ng/ml; p = 0.0001). In females, levels of leptin were inversely related to BPD measured at 16 weeks (r = -0.241; p = 0.013) to biparietal diameter (BPD) (r = -0.281; p = 0.0076) and abdominal circumference (r = 0.268; p = 0.0107) measured at 32 weeks of gestation and to neonatal weight (r = -0.236; p = 0.051), neonatal weight/height (r = -0.271; p = 0.026) or neonatal Kaup index (r = 0.255; p = 0.045). Leptin was not related to any fetal parameter in males. CONCLUSIONS Levels of leptin in amniotic fluid at 16 weeks of gestation are sexually dimorphic and are inversely related to fetal growth, particularly of females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Cagnacci
- Policlinico of Modena, Gynecology and Obsterics Unit, Department of Gynecology Obstetrics and Pediatrics, via del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy.
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Woelfer B, Hafner E, Metzenbauer M, Schuchter K, Philipp K. The influence of leptin on placental and fetal volume measured by three-dimensional ultrasound in the second trimester. Placenta 2005; 26:124-8. [PMID: 15708113 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2004.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/05/2004] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
For a couple of years mechanisms influencing placental and fetal growth and the functioning of leptin, the protein product of the ob/ob gene, have been subjects of intensive research. This study's aim was to investigate whether maternal serum leptin and amniotic fluid leptin have an influence on placental and fetal size measured by three-dimensional ultrasound in the second trimester. To determine this, 40 women with a singleton intrauterine pregnancy at the time of the amniocentesis were included in the study. Placental and fetal volume measurements were obtained and correlated to maternal serum leptin, amniotic fluid leptin, body mass index and gestational age. Multiple regression analysis identified amniotic fluid leptin as an independent negative predictor of placental and fetal volume (r = -2.29, p = 0.032 and r = -0.95, p = 0.011, respectively). In contrast, there was no correlation between maternal serum leptin and placental or fetal volume. The median leptin level in amniotic fluid (9.5 ng/ml) was significantly lower than in maternal blood (18.6 ng/ml). However, there was no significant correlation between maternal serum leptin and amniotic fluid leptin (r = 0.208, n.s.). Body mass index did not reveal any significant influences on placental or fetal volume. The relatively high level of amniotic fluid leptin and its inverse correlation on placental and fetal volume in the second trimester suggest that it possibly plays a role as an anti-placental growth hormone or feedback modulator of substrate supply to the fetus and placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Woelfer
- Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Donauspital am SMZ-Ost, Langobardenstrasse 122, A-1220 Vienna, Austria.
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Oktem O, Dedeoğlu N, Oymak Y, Sezen D, Köksal L, Pekin T, Gökaslan H, Kavak ZN. Maternal serum, amniotic fluid and cord leptin levels at term: their correlations with fetal weight. J Perinat Med 2004; 32:266-71. [PMID: 15188803 DOI: 10.1515/jpm.2004.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To investigate the relationship between fetal weight and leptin levels in maternal serum, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord. METHODS Forty pregnant women presenting for antenatal care at early weeks of gestation were enrolled for the study. Maternal and cord blood samples for leptin measurement were obtained at birth. Amniotic fluid samples were recovered by amniotomy performed during labor. Maternal body mass index and placental weight were also recorded. Leptin measurement was carried out using the ELISA method. Spearman's correlation test was used for comparison of non-parametric data. RESULTS Leptin concentration in venous cord blood correlated significantly with birth weight and placental weight whereas maternal serum and amniotic fluid leptin levels did not show correlation with birth weight. There were no significant correlations between leptin levels in maternal serum, cord blood and amniotic fluid. CONCLUSION We conclude that lack of correlation between leptin levels in mother, cord and amniotic fluid suggest that these compartments may be non-communicating separate units or have different mechanisms regulating leptin synthesis or degradation, and that leptin in maternal blood and amniotic fluid may not have a direct effect on fetal growth but rather a different role in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozgür Oktem
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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Chan TF, Su JH, Chung YF, Hsu YH, Yeh YT, Jong SB, Yuan SSF. Amniotic fluid and maternal serum leptin levels in pregnant women who subsequently develop preeclampsia. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2003; 108:50-3. [PMID: 12694970 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-2115(02)00414-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To study the correlation between amniotic fluid leptin levels and maternal serum leptin levels during the early second trimester, and to determine whether the ratios of amniotic fluid leptin levels to maternal serum leptin levels are elevated in pregnant women who subsequently develop preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN Samples from 120 pregnant women were included in this prospective study, of which 20 were from pregnant women who subsequently developed preeclampsia and 100 were from normal pregnant women. Both the amniotic fluid and the maternal serum leptin levels were ascertained by radioimmunoassay (RIA). RESULTS A strong correlation between amniotic fluid leptin levels and maternal serum leptin levels was observed in both preeclamptic and normal pregnant women. In addition, the ratios of amniotic fluid leptin levels to maternal serum leptin levels were positively correlated to amniotic fluid leptin levels, but negatively correlated to maternal serum leptin levels. Furthermore, the ratios of amniotic fluid leptin levels to maternal serum leptin levels in preeclamptic women were significantly higher than those in normal pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS Amniotic fluid leptin levels correlated with maternal serum leptin levels during the early second trimester. The ratios of amniotic fluid leptin levels to maternal serum leptin levels were elevated in preeclamptic women. However, the maternal serum leptin levels themselves showed no such elevation. Therefore, this elevated ratio may be a marker at the early stage of pregnancy in preeclamptic women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Te-Fu Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ROC
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Correlation of Elevated Leptin Levels in Amniotic Fluid and Maternal Serum in Neural Tube Defects. Obstet Gynecol 2003. [DOI: 10.1097/00006250-200303000-00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Vitoratos N, Chrystodoulacos G, Kouskouni E, Salamalekis E, Creatsas G. Alterations of maternal and fetal leptin concentrations in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2001; 96:59-62. [PMID: 11311762 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-2115(00)00401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate whether hypertensive disorders of pregnancy alter the maternal and fetal leptin levels. METHODS Fifty primigravidas between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation were divided into three groups: group A consisted of 17 normal pregnant women with a mean gestational age of 31 weeks, group B consisted of 15 women with gestational hypertension without proteinuria with a mean gestational age of 30 weeks and group C consisted of 18 pre-eclamptic women with a mean gestational age of 31 weeks. RESULTS The pre-eclamptics had significantly higher serum leptin levels than those in normal pregnancies (p<0.001) but no difference was noted between normal and gestational hypertensive pregnancies. Pre-eclamptic women had significantly higher umbilical vein leptin levels (4.68+/-1.66ng/ml) compared to normal pregnancies (1.92+/-0.71ng/ml) and those with gestational hypertension (2.47+/-0.81ng/ml). CONCLUSIONS Pre-eclampsia is associated with an increase in maternal plasma leptin levels and fetal of leptin production increases in gestational hypertension and even more in pre-eclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Vitoratos
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76, Vas. Sophias Av., 115 28, Athens, Greece
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Abstract
Leptin, a recently discovered hormone that is involved in the regulation of body weight, appears to be one of the hormonal factors that signal the body's readiness for sexual maturation and reproduction to the brain. The present review focuses on clinical and experimental studies that describe the roles of maternal and foetal leptin as predictive factors for the physiological and pathophysiological development of the foetus during pregnancy, assisted reproduction and neonatal life. Through evaluating alterations of maternal serum leptin levels, a physiological hyperleptinaemia has been observed to occur, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, which is not associated with a decreased food intake or reduced metabolic activity in the pregnant women. This state of leptin resistance is comparable to the condition in obesity. In contrast, hypoleptinaemia is suggested to be an indicator for the cessation of pregnancy, either naturally at term or as a result of pathology at any time during gestation. Thus, an appropriate maternal leptin level seems to be a prerequisite for a normal pregnancy. The main source of foetal leptin is the still immature foetal adipose tissue. As intrauterine growth has been found to be independently associated with cord blood leptin level, it has been suggested that leptin plays a role as a regulator of foetal growth. During assisted reproduction cycles leptin levels in the follicular fluid of patients may be also of predictive value, with low levels predicting therapeutic failure. Finally, the relevance of leptin to postnatal development is reviewed; leptin may be important for regulation of satiety and peripheral metabolism. In summary, leptin appears to be an important permissive factor that is involved in female reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Kratzsch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Leipzig, Germany.
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