Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Leptin is the protein product of the recently cloned obesity gene. Leptin receptor mRNA is found in a number of central and peripheral locations. The hypothalamus is a presumed site of action. However, little is known about the specific locations of the receptor in peripheral organs. Epinephrine has potent anorectic effects and can cause weight loss by a variety of mechanisms. Excretion of epinephrine is reduced in the ob/ob mouse, which lacks leptin, suggesting an effect by leptin on the adrenal medulla. In the current study, the presence of the leptin receptor was identified on epinephrine-secreting cells in the adrenal medulla. Immunohistochemical studies found dense leptin receptor-like immunoreactivity in the adrenal medulla with no labeling in the adrenal cortex. Double immunofluorescent labeling confirmed that the leptin receptor was present on cells that were phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-like immunoreactive and therefore were epinephrine-secreting cells. Leptin receptor mRNA in the adrenal medulla was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, with the majority of the mRNA coding for the short isoform (Ob-Ra) of the receptor. Finally, autoradiography was performed using 125I-labeled leptin; specific binding was found in the adrenal medulla, with no specific binding in the adrenal cortex. These results suggest that leptin may have a direct effect on epinephrine-secreting cells in the adrenal medulla. Epinephrine may play a role in mediating the effects of leptin to reduce body weight.
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PMID:Leptin receptors in the adrenal medulla of the rat. 927

Primers specific to the long isoform of leptin receptor (OB-Rb) mRNA were used in reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) to investigate the expression of this receptor in the hypothalamus and cerebellum of human and rat. For both regions, we observed RT-PCR cDNAs as well as restriction enzyme cleavage fragments of expected sizes. Additionally, in situ hybridization of human cerebellum using two independent [35S]oligonucleotide probes complementary to the OB-Rb mRNA sequence revealed a prominent hybridization signal within the granular layer. Overall, our findings demonstrate the expression of OB-Rb mRNA in the cerebellum and suggest that in such a location, leptin receptors may mediate a function presumably not linked to body weight homeostasis.
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PMID:Expression of leptin receptor mRNA (long form splice variant) in the human cerebellum. 933 26

Leptin and its structural gene, Ob, are exclusively expressed in adipose tissue. Leptin is secreted into the blood and is responsible for fat mass regulation via leptin receptors in the hypothalamus. This has been considered the major role of leptin, but leptin receptor isoforms are expressed not only in the brain but also in most other tissues in humans and rodents: heart, placenta, lung, liver, muscle, kidney, pancreas, spleen, thymus, prostate, testes, ovary, small intestine, and colon. This implicates leptin regulation in other systems apart from fat mass regulation, and leptin action has been demonstrated in human fetal development and reproductive development, liver metabolism, hematopoiesis, and insulin secretion. Four splice variants of the leptin receptor have been identified in humans: the long isoform huOb-R and the shorter isoforms B219.1 to B219.3. It is known that the long isoform has full intracellular signaling capacity, and is responsible for anorectic action in the hypothalamus. The roles of the other isoforms are yet to be elucidated. Here, we report the identification by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of three leptin receptor isoforms coexpressed in human visceral adipose tissue: the long isoform huOb-R and the short isoforms huB219.1 and huB219.3. The possible roles of these isoforms are discussed.
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PMID:Leptin receptor isoforms expressed in human adipose tissue. 966 33

We report here the characterization and functional roles of the leptin receptor (ObR) in bovine adrenal medullary cells. The plasma membranes isolated from bovine adrenal medulla showed a single class of specific binding sites of (125)I-leptin with an apparent K(d) of 6.6 nM and B(max) of 62 fmol/mg protein. ObRa but not ObRb mRNA was detected in bovine adrenal medulla by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Incubation of cultured adrenal medullary cells with leptin (3-30 nM) for 20 min resulted in a significant increase in [(14)C]catecholamine synthesis from [(14)C]tyrosine without any change in catecholamine secretion. These findings suggest that leptin stimulates catecholamine synthesis through its receptors in bovine adrenal medullary cells.
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PMID:Characterization and functional role of leptin receptor in bovine adrenal medullary cells. 1070 44

The baboon (Papio sp.) is an accepted nonhuman primate model for the study of the endocrinology of human pregnancy. To further characterize this model with regard to leptin function, messenger RNA transcripts for both long (Ob-RL) and short (Ob-RS) leptin receptor isoforms were identified in maternal tissues at various stages of gestation. Thus, placental villous, subcutaneous and omental adipose tissues were collected upon cesarean delivery at early (Days 60-62), mid (Days 98-102) and late (Days 159-164) pregnancy (term approximately 184 days). Additionally, amniochorion, decidua, and corpus luteum were collected in late gestation. Expression of Ob-RL and Ob-RS transcripts was determined in relation to constitutively expressed glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase via reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and transcripts were localized within specific placental cell types by in situ hybridization. Ob-RL and Ob-RS transcripts were present in amniochorion, decidua, and corpus luteum at term and appeared constitutively expressed throughout gestation in placenta and adipose tissues. Ob-RS was expressed in greater (P < 0.02) abundance than Ob-RL in all tissues. Within the placenta, receptor isoforms were localized predominantly to the syncytiotrophoblast. The expression of leptin receptor transcripts in maternal adipose tissues, as well as in the syncytiotrophoblast, amniochorion, decidua, and corpus luteum, suggests the potential for autocrine/paracrine roles for the polypeptide in the endocrinology of primate pregnancy. These are the first such observations in a nonhuman primate and support the use of the baboon as a model for the study of leptin in human pregnancy.
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PMID:Leptin receptor transcripts are constitutively expressed in placenta and adipose tissue with advancing baboon pregnancy. 1072 Oct 5

Leptin is mainly produced in white adipose tissue and acts both at distant sites and locally at the tissue from which it originates. The cellular and subcellular localization of leptin and its receptor (Ob-receptor [Ob-R]) and their relationship to various stages of fat cell maturation have not been characterized as yet. Therefore, we analyzed leptin and Ob-R by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastructural immunogold labeling in human white adipose tissue and in human adipocyte cell cultures at early and late stages of differentiation. Both leptin and its receptor were present in mature unilocular fat cells. The thin cytoplasmic rim of the adipocytes exhibited the strongest expression of both leptin and Ob-R. At early stages of differentiating human adipocytes, leptin was mainly expressed in multilocular preadipocytes, whereas the Ob-R was found predominantly on fibroblast-like cells. Other cellular components of human white adipose tissue were characterized by anti-CD31 for endothelial cells, anti-CD68 for macrophages, and antibodies specifically labeling B-cells and T-cells. In addition to fat cells, endothelial cells were immunopositive for the full-length leptin receptor. On the ultrastructural level, leptin was mainly found attached to cellular membranes and in small alveolate vesicle-like structures in the cytoplasm of adipocytes. Leptin was also present on the cell membranes of endothelial cells and macrophages. We conclude that the expression of the Ob-R in human white adipose tissue is not restricted to adipocytes but is present in resident endothelial and immune cells. Ultrastructural localization studies revealed an association of leptin with cell membranes and small vesicles. The cellular and subcellular distribution of leptin and its receptor suggests an important autocrine and paracrine role for leptin in human adipose tissue.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural localization of leptin and leptin receptor in human white adipose tissue and differentiating human adipose cells in primary culture. 1087 Nov 89

Leptin, the adipocyte-derived hormone, is secreted into the blood and regulates body weight via its receptors in the hypothalamus. Leptin receptors are also present in many peripheral tissues implicating leptin in the regulation of other body functions, including reproduction, liver and enteric metabolism, hematopoiesis, and immunity. Four splice variants of the leptin receptor have been identified in humans: the long isoform that has full intracellular signaling capacity and 3 shorter isoforms that differ in the length of their cytoplasmic tail. Here, we report the quantification by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the relative expression levels of the 2 major leptin receptor splice variants, the long (OB-RL) and the shortest membrane bound variant (OB-RS) in mononuclear cells from peripheral blood of 15 healthy human subjects (9 women and 6 men), with a body mass index (BMI) that ranged from 19.7 to 41.6. Both OB-RL and OB-RS were coexpressed in all mRNAs tested. However, the expression of the short form (OB-RS), was on average 8-fold higher than the expression of the long form (OB-RL) (120.8 +/- 12.9 v 14.6 +/- 3.0 relative intensity units, P < .001). The predominance of the short splice variant over the long one was apparent in all samples and ranged from 4- to 27-fold. There was no significant difference in the expression of either isoform between men and women. However, the relative expression of both OB-RS and OB-RL isoforms was significantly lower in the overweight (BMI > 26), compared with the lean subjects (BMI < 25) (78.8 +/- 9.1 and 6.2 +/- 1.1 v148.8 +/- 14.4 and 18.9 +/- 4.0 relative intensity units, respectively, P < .03) and was inversely correlated with the BMI and plasma leptin levels (P < .01). In conclusion, the expression of OB-RS and OB-RL leptin receptor isoforms appears to be reduced in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from obese individuals, with OB-RS remaining the predominant leptin receptor isoform. This might have implications for the bioavailability and/or action of circulating leptin not only on these cells, but also on other target tissues.
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PMID:Expression of the long and short leptin receptor isoforms in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: implications for leptin's actions. 1114 13

Leptin, the product of the ob gene, regulates food intake, energy expenditure, and other physiological functions of the peripheral tissues. Leptin receptors have been identified in the hypothalamus and in extrahypothalamic tissues. Increased circulating leptin levels have been correlated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, aging, infection with bacterial lipopolysaccharide, and high-fat diets. All these conditions have also been correlated with increased vascular calcification, a hallmark of atherosclerotic and age-related vascular disease. In addition, the differentiation of marrow osteoprogenitor cells is regulated by leptin. Thus, we hypothesized that leptin may regulate the calcification of vascular cells. In this report, we tested the effects of leptin on a previously characterized subpopulation of vascular cells that undergo osteoblastic differentiation and calcification in vitro. When treated with leptin, these calcifying vascular cells had a significant 5- to 10-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of osteogenic differentiation of osteoblastic cells. Prolonged treatment with leptin enhanced the calcification of these cells, further supporting the pro-osteogenic differentiation effects of leptin. Furthermore, the presence of the leptin receptor on calcifying vascular cells was demonstrated using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot analysis. We also identified the presence of leptin receptor in the mouse artery wall, localized to subpopulations of medial and adventitial cells, and the expression of leptin by artery wall cells and atherosclerotic lesions in mice. Taken together, these results suggest that leptin regulates the osteoblastic differentiation and calcification of vascular cells and that the artery wall may be an important peripheral tissue target of leptin action.
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PMID:Leptin enhances the calcification of vascular cells: artery wall as a target of leptin. 1134 6

Expression of the long form of the leptin receptor was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting in the human liver cell line WRL68. Leptin (50-200 nM) significantly increased tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT cytoplasmic transcription factors STAT3 and STAT5b in a dose-dependent manner and produced a gel-shift with STAT3- and STAT5-specific oligonucleotides. WRL68 cells therefore provide the first human in vitro hepatocyte system in which to study leptin receptor-mediated signalling and to elucidate the role of leptin in liver.
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PMID:Leptin receptor long-form signalling in a human liver cell line. 1144 22

The aim of this study was to assess human intracranial tumours for their gene expression pattern of the vasoactive peptide adrenomedullin (AM), its receptor (AM-R) and leptin, which exerts multiple biological effects including proliferation and angiogenesis via the leptin receptor (OB-Rb). Gene activity of neuropeptide Y (NPY) was monitored additionally. We investigated whether there was a characteristic gene expression pattern of AM and leptin in different intracranial tumours, depending on their proliferation activity and biological behaviour. We investigated 35 non-functioning pituitary adenomas (including eight null cell, four silent plurihormonal, 23 silent gonadotroph adenomas), seven somatotropinomas, seven prolactinomas, eight meningiomas, five astrocytomas, two glioblastoma multiformes and unaffected temporal lobe (n = 8). Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan RT-PCR) was performed. AM mRNA was detectable in all tumour specimens. AM/GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) ratio was significantly higher in somatotropinomas, as was AM/CD31 ratio in prolactinomas, compared with inactive adenomas (P < 0.05). AM-R mRNA was found in all tumour subgroups in small quantities but, in general, higher in tumours than in temporal lobe tissue, respectively. AM-R/CD31 ratio was significantly higher in prolactinomas than in inactive adenomas (P < 0.05). Leptin was detectable in very low quantities in each subgroup. OB-Rb gene expression was found in all tumour subgroups, OB-Rb/GAPDH ratio was highest for meningiomas (P < 0.0001, compared with temporal lobe). NPY mRNA was detectable in temporal lobe in higher quantities than in tumours (P < 0.0001), and almost undetectable in prolactinomas and astrocytomas. Our data demonstrate that AM and AM-R, NPY, as well as leptin and OB-Rb, are expressed in various intracranial tumours in humans but their particular function has to be elucidated further. At present, there is no evidence for a cross-talk on transcriptional level between the peptidergic vasodilative system AM and the putative angiogenic and proliferation affecting factor leptin.
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PMID:Gene expression of adrenomedullin, leptin, their receptors and neuropeptide Y in hormone-secreting and non-functioning pituitary adenomas, meningiomas and malignant intracranial tumours in humans. 1148 41


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