Seasonal and nutritional changes in the short form of the leptin receptor expression and VEGF system in the choroid plexus, arcuate nucleus, and anterior pituitary in MTS-leptin and resistin-treated sheep

The short form of the leptin receptor (LeptRa) plays a key role in the transport of leptin to the central nervous system (CNS). Here, MTS-leptin and recombinant ovine (ro) leptin-mediated expression of LeptRa and VEGFA and VEGFR2 concentration in selected hypothalamic nuclei, choroid plexus (ChP), and anterior pituitary (AP) were analyzed considering the photoperiod and acute-fasting (experiment 1), and nutritional status (experiment 2) of ewes. In experiment 1, 60 sheep were fed normally or fasted for 72 h and received one injection of saline, MTS-leptin, or roleptin 1 h prior to euthanasia. LeptRa mRNA transcript levels and VEGF system protein concentrations were detected in the ARC, ChP predominantly in the SD, and AP for the LD without detection of LeptRa in the POA and VMH/DMH. In experiment 2, an altered diet for 5 months created lean or fat sheep. Twenty sheep were divided into four groups: the lean and fat groups were given saline, while the lean-R and fat-R groups received resistin 1 h prior to euthanasia. Changes in adiposity influenced the lowering effect of resistin on the expression of LeptRa and VEGF system protein concentrations. Overall, both photoperiodic and nutritional signals influence the effects of MTS-leptin/roleptin and resistin-mediated leptin transport to the CNS via LeptRa. Resistin seems to be another adipokine involved in the adaptive/pathological phenomenon of leptin resistance in sheep

Influence of Leptin on the Secretion of Growth Hormone in Ewes under Different Photoperiodic Conditions

Leptin is an adipokine with a pleiotropic impact on many physiological processes, including hypothalamic-pituitary-somatotropic (HPS) axis activity, which plays a key role in regulating mammalian metabolism. Leptin insensitivity/resistance is a pathological condition in humans, but in seasonal animals, it is a physiological adaptation. Therefore, these animals represent a promising model for studying this phenomenon. This study aimed to determine the influence of leptin on the activity of the HPS axis. Two in vivo experiments performed during short- and long-day photoperiods were conducted on 12 ewes per experiment, and the ewes were divided randomly into 2 groups. The arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, anterior pituitary (AP) tissues, and blood were collected. The concentration of growth hormone (GH) was measured in the blood, and the relative expression of GHRH, SST, GHRHR, SSTR1, SSTR2, SSTR3, SSTR5, LEPR, and GH was measured in the collected brain structures. The study showed that the photoperiod, and therefore leptin sensitivity, plays an important role in regulating HPS axis activity in the seasonal ewe. However, leptin influences the release of GH in a season-dependent manner, and its effect seems to be targeted at the posttranscriptional stages of GH secretion

Changes in Expression of the Genes for the Leptin Signaling in Hypothalamic-Pituitary Selected Areas and Endocrine Responses to Long-Term Manipulation in Body Weight and Resistin in Ewes

Both long-term undernutrition and overnutrition disturb metabolic balance, which is mediated partially by the action of two adipokines, leptin and resistin (RSTN). In this study, we manipulated the diet of ewes to produce either a thin (lean) or fat (fat) body condition and investigated how RSTN affects endocrine and metabolic status under different leptin concentrations. Twenty ewes were distributed into four groups (n = 5): the lean and fat groups were administered with saline (Lean and Fat), while the Lean-R (Lean-Resistin treated) and Fat-R (Fat-Resistin treated) groups received recombinant bovine resistin. Plasma was assayed for LH, FSH, PRL, RSTN, leptin, GH, glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides. Expression levels of a suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS-3) and the long form of the leptin receptor (LRb) were determined in selected brain regions, such as the anterior pituitary, hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, preoptic area and ventro- and dorsomedial nuclei. The results indicate long-term alterations in body weight affect RSTN-mediated effects on metabolic and reproductive hormones concentrations and the expression of leptin signaling components: LRb and SOCS-3. This may be an adaptive mechanism to long-term changes in adiposity during the state of long-day leptin resistance