LepRb-STAT3 Pathway and Obesity Research

Neuromics' Hypothalumus Neurons, Leptin Antibodies and Recombinant Proteins are being increasingly used by researchers studying root causes of diabetes and obesity. I am pleased to update you on an important study from our friends at Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine. This publication references use of our LepRb/OBRb Antibody.

Pei Wang, Feng-Jiao Yang, Hui Du, Yun-Feng Guan, Tian-Ying Xu, Xue-Wen Xu, Ding-Feng Su, and Chao-Yu Miao. Involvement of Leptin Receptor Long Isoform (LepRb)-STAT3 Signaling Pathway in Brain Fat Mass– and Obesity-Associated(FTO) Downregulation during Energy Restriction. © 2011 The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, www.feinsteininstitute.org.Online address: http://www.molmed.org. doi: 10.2119/molmed.2010.00013.
Abstract: Obesity is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. The fat mass– and obesity associated (FTO) gene is tightly associated with the pathophysiology of obesity, whereas the exact role of FTO remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the alternations of FTO mRNA and protein expression in the peripheral metabolic tissues and the brain upon energy restriction (ER) and explored the involvement of the leptin signaling pathway in FTO regulation under ER status. ER decreased the FTO mRNA and protein expression in hypothalamus and brainstem but not in periphery. Using doubleimmunofluorescence staining, FTO was found to be colocalized with the leptin receptor long isoform (LepRb) in arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus and the nucleus of the solitary tract. In LepRb mutant db/db mice, the FTO downregulation in brain and body weight reduction induced by ER were completely abolished. The enhanced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) induced by ER was also impaired in db/db mice. Moreover, leptin directly activated the STAT3 signaling pathway and downregulated FTO in in vitro arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus cultures and in vivo wild-type mice but not db/db mice. Thus, our results provide the first evidence that the LepRb-STAT3 signaling pathway is involved in the brain FTO downregulation during ER.

LepRB (CH14104) staining of rat brain sections

Images: Frozen brain sections were incubated with LepRb (clone number CH14014; chicken antirat) and FTO (rabbit antirat) antibodies and then incubated with Cy3-conjugated secondary antibody (goat antichicken, red) or FITC-conjugated secondary (goat antirabbit, red). Nuclei were stained by 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI). NTS, nucleus of the solitary tract.

I will continue to track these kind of studies closely. They build the foundation for potential Obesity resduction therapies. This would have a major impact on growing burden of world wide Health Costs.