LEPTIN INCREASES NITRIC OXIDE LEVEL VIA INCREASE IN iNOS EXPRESSION IN EARLY PREGNANT MOUSE UTERUS

Abstract

Leptin is an adipokine hormone secreted primarily from the white adipose tissue and leptin levels are usually elevated in obese individuals. Leptin is known to mediate the relaxation of the uterus in the pregnant mouse by increasing Nitric Oxide (NO) synthesis in late pregnancy. The present study aimed to assess the effect of a pathological concentration of leptin (3 nM) on NO synthesis in the uterus of early pregnant mice and also to evaluate its effect on the transcription of genes responsible for NO synthesis. mRNA expression studies using real-time PCR revealed that leptin (3 nM) increased the relative expression of the inducible Nitric Oxide synthase (iNOS) gene which also resulted in increased NO levels. The results suggest that higher leptin levels during early pregnancy may increase NO levels in the uterus which may result in a net decrease in uterine contractions further leading to complications in pregnancy.

Keywords

• early pregnancy
• leptin
• nitric oxide
• nitric oxide synthase