Leptin alters the structural and functional characteristics of adipose tissue before birth

Article

Yuen, B. S. J., Owens, P. C., Muhlhausler, B. S., Roberts, C. T., Symonds, M. E., Keisler, D. H., McFarlane, J. R., Kauter, K. G., Evens, Y. and McMillen, I. C.. 2003. "Leptin alters the structural and functional characteristics of adipose tissue before birth." The FASEB Journal. 17 (9), pp. 1102-1104. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.02-0756fje
Article Title

Leptin alters the structural and functional characteristics of adipose tissue before birth

ERA Journal ID2078
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsYuen, B. S. J. (Author), Owens, P. C. (Author), Muhlhausler, B. S. (Author), Roberts, C. T. (Author), Symonds, M. E. (Author), Keisler, D. H. (Author), McFarlane, J. R. (Author), Kauter, K. G. (Author), Evens, Y. (Author) and McMillen, I. C. (Author)
Journal TitleThe FASEB Journal
Journal Citation17 (9), pp. 1102-1104
Number of Pages3
Year2003
Place of PublicationBethesda, MD. United States
ISSN0892-6638
1530-6860
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.02-0756fje
Web Address (URL)http://www.fasebj.org/cgi/reprint/02-0756fjev1?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=Yuen&andorexacttitle=and&andorexacttitleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
Abstract

This study aimed to determine for the first time whether leptin can act to alter the structural and functional characteristics of adipose tissue before birth. Leptin (0.48 mg/kg/day) or saline was infused intravenously into fetal sheep for 4 days from either 136 or 137 days of gestation (term=147±3 days). Circulating leptin concentrations were increased approximately four- to fivefold by leptin infusion. Leptin infusion resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of smaller lipid locules present within fetal perirenal adipose tissue (PAT), and this was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of multilocular tissue and a significant decrease in the proportion and relative mass of unilocular tissue in fetal PAT. The relative abundance of leptin mRNA in fetal PAT was significantly lower in the leptin-infused group, and there was a positive correlation between the relative abundance of leptin mRNA and the proportion of unilocular adipose tissue in fetal PAT. The amount of uncoupling protein 1 tended to be higher (P=0.06) in leptin-infused compared with saline-infused fetuses. This is the first demonstration that leptin can act to regulate the lipid storage characteristics, leptin synthetic capacity, and potential thermogenic functions of fat before birth.

Keywordsfetus; lipid; UCP1; leptin
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020310999. Zoology not elsewhere classified
300303. Animal nutrition
300305. Animal reproduction and breeding
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Byline AffiliationsUniversity of Adelaide
University Hospital Nottingham, United Kingdom
University of Missouri, United States
University of New England
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