Leptin modulates innate and adaptive immune cell recruitment after cigarette smoke exposure in mice

Leptin, a pleiotropic type I cytokine, was recently demonstrated to be expressed by resident lung cells in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and asymptomatic smokers. To elucidate the functional role of leptin in the onset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, we tested leptin-deficient ob/ob mice (C57BL/6), leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice (C57BKS), and littermates in a model of cigarette smoke (CS)-induced pulmonary inflammation. Wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice were exposed for 4 or 24 wk to control air or CS. Pulmonary leptin expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Pulmonary inflammation upon 4 wk CS exposure was evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue of WT, ob/ob, and db/db mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed leptin expression in bronchial epithelial cells, pneumocytes, alveolar macrophages, and bronchial/vascular smooth muscle cells. The 4 and 24 wk CS exposure increased leptin expression in bronchial epithelial cells and pneumocytes versus air-exposed WT mice (p < 0.05). The 4 wk CS exposure resulted in increased accumulation of neutrophils, dendritic cells, macrophages, and lymphocytes in BALF and lung tissue of WT, ob/ob, and db/db mice. CS-exposed ob/ob and db/db mice showed in general higher numbers of neutrophils and lower numbers of CD4(+), CD8(+), and dendritic cells versus CS-exposed WT mice. Consistently, CXCL1 levels were enhanced in BALF of CS-exposed ob/ob and db/db mice versus WT mice (p < 0.05). Exogenous leptin administration completely restored the skewed inflammatory profile in ob/ob mice. These data reveal an important role of leptin in modulating innate and adaptive immunity after CS inhalation in mice

Enhanced pulmonary leptin expression in patients with severe COPD and asymptomatic smokers

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by an abnormal inflammatory reaction of the lungs involving activation of epithelial cells. Leptin is a pleiotropic cytokine important in the regulation of immune responses via its functional receptor Ob-Rb. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that severe COPD is associated with increased leptin expression in epithelial cells. Methods: Immunohistochemistry for leptin was performed on peripheral lung specimens from 20 patients with COPD (GOLD stage 4), 14 asymptomatic ex-smokers and 13 never smokers. Leptin and Ob-Rb mRNA expression were determined by rtPCR in cultured primary bronchial epithelial cells and primary type II pneumocytes. NCI-H292 and A549 cell lines were used to study functional activation of leptin signalling. Results: Leptin immunoreactivity in lung tissue was observed in bronchial epithelial cells, type II pneumocytes, macrophages (tissue/alveolar) and interstitial lymphocytic infiltrates. rtPCR analysis confirmed pulmonary leptin and Ob-Rb mRNA expression in primary bronchial epithelial cells and pneumocytes. Leptin- expressing bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages were markedly higher in patients with severe COPD and ex-smokers than in never smokers (p<0.02). Exposure of cultured primary bronchial epithelial cells to smoke resulted in increased expression of both leptin and Ob-Rb (p<0.05). Leptin induced phosphorylation of STAT3 in both NCI-H292 and A549 cells. Conclusions: Leptin expression is increased in bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages of ex-smokers with or without severe COPD compared with never smokers. A functional leptin signalling pathway is present in lung epithelial cells