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Maternal serum leptin in the pregnant rat: fetal-placental implantation number and progesterone

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Abstract

Purpose

This study was designed to determine whether there is a role of the placenta in the regulation of maternal serum leptin levels in the pregnant rat.

Methods

We have adjusted the number of fetal-placental implants on day 9 in the pregnant rat by aspirating fetal-placental units to adjust the number to 1–2, 4–5 per rat or >10 in controls. Serum levels of leptin and progesterone were determined by radioimmunoassay. A separate group of pregnant rats were ovariectomized and maintained with progesterone silastic capsules (10, 20 or 40 mm).

Results

In the pregnant rats with varied fetal-placental implant numbers, the maternal serum leptin were greatest in the group with the smallest number (1–2) of implants; intermediate in the midgroup (4–5 implants); and lowest in the group with a full complement of implantations (>10) (p < 0.001). Serum progesterone levels are lowest in the 1–2 implantation group. In the ovariectomized rats there was a stepwise decline in serum leptin (p < 0.05) as the dose of progesterone increased (p < 0.01). Both of these studies suggest that progesterone suppressed maternal serum leptin levels.

Conclusions

Increasing placental mass is not associated with increasing maternal serum leptin levels in the pregnant rat; the contrary condition is observed with the least placental implants having the highest leptin levels. Progesterone seems to suppress serum leptin levels in several physiological models.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the assistance of David Baldwin, PhD, Norman H Dubin, PhD, and Robert P Kauffman, MD in paper preparation and statistical analysis and Urvi Shah and William Meachum in data and graph preparation. We acknowledge the valuable support of Melissa Castracane in manuscript preparation. These studies were supported by the Biology Department at Union College, Schenectady, NY and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech Health Sciences University at the Permian Basin, Odessa, TX. G.M.B. and V.D.C. developed the protocol and arranged for IRB approval on their respective campuses. C.H. maintained rats, did surgery, collected blood samples, maintained data sheets, and performed progesterone assays and statistics. G.M.B. and V.D.C. wrote the paper and developed the bibliography. V.D.C. supervised leptin assays and assisted when necessary.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Colin Hirst

    Present address: Heart Lung Vascular Institute, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, TN, 37920, USA

  2. V. Daniel Castracane

    Present address: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Union College, Schenectady, NY, USA

    George M. Butterstein & Colin Hirst

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin, Odessa, TX, USA

    V. Daniel Castracane

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA

    V. Daniel Castracane

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  1. George M. Butterstein
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Correspondence to V. Daniel Castracane.

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Butterstein, G.M., Hirst, C. & Castracane, V.D. Maternal serum leptin in the pregnant rat: fetal-placental implantation number and progesterone. Endocrine 76, 457–464 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-022-02984-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-022-02984-2

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