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Title: Preferential effects of leptin on CD4 T cells in central and peripheral immune system are critically linked to the expression of leptin receptor

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
;  [1];  [2]; ;  [1]; ;  [3];  [1];  [1]
  1. Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)
  2. Department of Molecular Biology, School of Arts and Sciences (S.W.C), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 18450 (United States)
  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-600 (Korea, Republic of)

Leptin can enhance thymopoiesis and modulate the T-cell immune response. However, it remains controversial whether these effects correlate with the expression of leptin receptor, ObR. We herein addressed this issue by using in vivo animal models and in vitro culture systems. Leptin treatment in both ob/ob mice and normal young mice induced increases of CD4 SP thymocytes in thymus and CD4 T cells in the periphery. Interestingly, expression of the long form ObR was significantly restricted to DN, DP and CD4 SP, but not CD8 SP thymocytes. Moreover, in the reaggregated DP thymocyte cultures with leptin plus TSCs, leptin profoundly induced differentiation of CD4 SP but not CD8 SP thymocytes, suggesting that the effects of leptin on thymocyte differentiation might be closely related to the expression of leptin receptor in developing thymocytes. Surprisingly, ObR expression was markedly higher in peripheral CD4 T cells than that in CD8 T cells. Furthermore, leptin treatment with or without IL-2 and PHA had preferential effects on cell proliferation of CD4 T cells compared to that of CD8 T cells. Collectively, these data provide evidence that the effects of leptin on differentiation and proliferation of CD4 T cells might be closely related to the expression of leptin receptor.

OSTI ID:
22202456
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 394, Issue 3; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English