Both leptin and leptin-receptor are essential for apolipoprotein M expression in vivo

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.06.180
• Publication Date: 2004-08-04T14:08:31Z
• Authors: Ning Xu; Peter Nilsson-Ehle; Maria Hurtig; Bo Ahrén
• Keywords: Leptin receptor

It was previously shown that circulating levels of leptin and apolipoprotein M (apoM) correlate to each other. In this study, we examined whether plasma leptin and leptin-receptors are of importance for apoM expression in vivo. It was found that in both liver and kidney, expression of apoM was significantly lower in leptin deficient ob/ob mice and in leptin-receptor deficient db/db mice than in control mice. Furthermore, leptin administration (0.5 or 1.5 microg/g body weight) significantly increased plasma apoM levels and apoM mRNA levels in liver and in kidney in ob/ob mice. We conclude that both leptin and leptin-receptor are essential for the apoM expression, indicating that leptin is physiologically regulating apoM synthesis in vivo.