Relationships between maternal plasma leptin, placental leptin mRNA and protein in normal pregnancy, pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction without pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Leptin, an adipocyte hormone involved in energy homeostasis, is important in reproduction and pregnancy. Questions yet to be addressed include the source of higher leptin during pregnancy and its relationship to pregnancy outcome and fetal growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between placental leptin gene expression, placental leptin protein concentration and maternal plasma leptin concentration among control pregnant women, women with pre-eclampsia and women with growth-restricted infants. We also investigated the relationship between placental leptin expression and the placental expression of enzymes involved in cellular lipid balance: fatty acid translocase (CD36), carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-1B) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Placental leptin expression, placental protein and maternal plasma concentration were higher in pre-eclampsia than in controls but not in women with growth-restricted infants. Placental leptin expression and placental protein were higher in the preterm pre-eclamptic subjects, whereas maternal leptin was higher in the term pre-eclamptic subjects. The placental gene expression of CD36, CPT-1B and LPL were not different among the groups. This study suggests that despite similar failed placental bed vascular remodelling in pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), leptin gene expression is higher only in preterm pre-eclampsia.

The Relationship between Maternal Plasma Leptin Levels and Fetal Growth Restriction

“…Therefore, leptin serves as a metabolic signal reflecting adiposity to the neuroendocrine and reproductive systems. On the other hand, we and others have demonstrated leptin production from human placental trophoblast cells, which increases plasma leptin levels in pregnant women [10,11]. We subsequently demonstrated up-regulation of plasma leptin levels during labor [12].…”

“…Lepercq et al reported that maternal plasma leptin levels in normotensive pregnant women with SGA neonates were similar to those with AGA neonates, although the mRNA expression, as well as the content, of leptin was augmented in the placenta from normotensive pregnant women with SGA neonates [24]. A recent report by Laivuori et al also found no significant relationship between maternal plasma leptin concentration and intrauterine fetal growth [10]. However, the number of enrolled women was rather small in these studies.…”

Dysregulation of the Circulating and Tissue-Based Renin-Angiotensin System in Preeclampsia

“…45 In an earlier study we also found increased plasma and placental leptin expression in preeclampsia. 46 Our study was necessarily limited in size. Moreover, we could not correct for gestational length.…”

The association between level of maternal serum leptin in the third trimester and the occurrence of moderate preterm labor

“…Furthermore, Palchevska et al (24) indicated that leptin levels in 110 term neonates were higher than preterm neonates (24). Laivuori et al (25) study on women with pre-eclampsia showed that leptin levels in pre-eclamptic women with term delivery was higher than pre-eclamptic women with preterm delivery and normal healthy women with term and preterm deliveries. Also, higher leptin levels were noted in term deliveries compared to preterm deliveries (25).…”