Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the messenger ribonucleic acid expression of leptin (L-mRNA) and the leptin receptor (OB-RmRNA) in subcutaneous fat tissue and to determine their relationship with leptin and testosterone and steroid serum levels over the course of the menstrual cycle (MC), in obese (OBW) and non-obese women (NOW). DESIGN: Observational study investigating mRNA transcript expression of leptin and the leptin receptor from human subcutaneous fat specimens, as well as leptin serum levels, both in relation to the testosterone and sex hormones during the MC in obese and non-obese women. METHODS: Nineteen women, thirteen with a body mass index (BMI) > 25 Kg/m2 and 6 with BMI 2 were included. RT-PCR was used to detect L-mRNA transcripts of leptin and its receptor in samples from 28 fat biopsies taken from seven volunteers (20 from OW and 8 from NOW). The serum concentrations of leptin and steroid hormones were measured throughout the MC using radioinmuno analysis. RESULTS: The percentages of women expressing leptin L-mRNA during the phases of the MC were: early follicular (EF), 14.3%; late follicular (LF), 28.6%; early luteal (EL), 14.3%; and late luteal (LL), 42.9%. The percentages of OB-RmRNA were: EF, 71.4%; LF, 14.3%; EL, 28.6%; and LL, 71.4%. Leptin serum levels were directly related to BMI (p < 0.001), and testosterone (p < 0.001) and indirectly to SHBG (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The L-mRNA expression and its receptor in subcutaneous human tissue are regulated throughout the MC in a periodic manner. The physiological role of testosterone in regulation of expression L-mRNA and OB-RmRNA during the secretory phase of the MC in obese women requires further investigation.
Highlights
MethodsA group of 19 women, aged 18 - 40 (mean: 30.7 years), was recruited after the protocol was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of the University of Guanajuato, México
In overweight women (OW) and SHBG serum levels were lower in late follicular (LF) than in the other phases of the menstrual cycle
These results indicate that L-mRNA and OB-R mRNA expression of leptin and its receptor in subcutaneous human fat is regulated in a periodic manner throughout the menstrual cycle, with greater expression in the late secretory and early follicular phases of the menstrual cycle
Summary
A group of 19 women, aged 18 - 40 (mean: 30.7 years), was recruited after the protocol was approved by the Human Ethics Committee of the University of Guanajuato, México. Subjects were divided into two groups, one comprised of 13 overweight women (OW) with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 Kg/m2 and the other with six non-overweight women (), BMI < 25 Kg/m2. All subjects had history of regular menstrual cycles (> 21 and < 35 days), were confirmed as capable of ovulation by testing for P4 > 5 ng/mL, during days 21 - 23 of the menstrual cycle, and did not suffer from diabetes or any other endocrine alterations. Hip measurements were taken at the maximum circumference of the hip area. The nineteen subjects were evaluated four times during their menstrual cycle: early follicular (EF): days 1 to 4 from the last menstrual period (LMP); late follicular (LF): days 9 to from the LMP; early luteal (EL): days to 18, from the LMP; and late luteal (LL): days 23 to 28, from the LMP
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