The total pancreatic beta cell mass is reduced in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We analyzed the islets of leptin receptor-deficient (Lepr-/-) mice, a model animal for type 2 diabetes with obesity. The plasma insulin levels in Lepr-/- mice peaked at approximately 7 weeks, an age at which the animals manifest normoglycemia to moderate hyperglycemia. Consistent with this, the beta cell mass wa...

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in women world-wide. Considerable progress has been made to characterize the different subtypes of ovarian cancer, but specific therapies remain limited and prognosis poor. Cytokine signaling via the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) family and related receptors has been implicated in a number of cancers, including those with an ovarian origin....

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality around the world. OBJECTIVES With regard to the role of obesity in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the role of leptin in obesity, we investigated whether leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) gene variants are associated with CRC risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS W...

Leptin, a protein hormone secreted by adipose tissue, plays an important role in regulating energy metabolism and the immune response. Despite similar extremes of adiposity, mutant mouse models, db/db, carrying spontaneous deletion of the active form of the leptin receptor (LEPR-B) intracellular signaling domain, and the s/s, carrying a specific point mutation leading to a dysfunctional LEPR-B-...

Only a fraction of all smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), suggesting a large role for genetic susceptibility. The leptin receptor (LEPR) is present in human lung tissue and may play a role in COPD pathogenesis. The present study examined the association between genetic variants in the LEPR gene and lung function decline in COPD. In total, 429 European Americans were r...

BACKGROUND Pathologic condition associated with metabolic syndrome traits seems to increase the risk of colorectal cancer. One mechanism underlying this relationship may involve the growth-promoting effects of the circulation hormones associated with obesity and insulin resistance, such as leptin. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A two-stage case-control study was used to explore the role of po...

Many investigations point out the important role of leptin during the preimplantation development. Transcripts for the leptin gene (LEP) and its receptor (LEPR) have been identified in several tissues related to reproduction (e.g. ovaries, testis and oviduct) in both human and mouse. This work shows for the first time the expression and distribution patterns of LEP and LEPR in bovine oocytes an...

BACKGROUND AND AIM Genetic polymorphism has been implicated as a factor for the occurrence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study attempted to assess whether polymorphisms in the leptin receptor (LEPR) gene and its combined effect with patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3/adiponutrin) are associated with risk of NAFLD. METHODS A total of 144 biopsy-...

Adaptive changes in hypothalamic neural circuitry occur in response to alterations in nutritional status. This plasticity at hypothalamic synapses contributes to the control of food intake and body weight. Here we show that genetic ablation of leptin receptor gene expression in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons (POMC: Lepr(-/-) GFP) induces alterations at synapses on POMC neurons in the arcua...