Effects of human recombinant leptin on the postnatal testis development in Sprague Dawley rats

BORDÓN LS, SUESCUN MO, GIOVAMBATTISTA A, SPINEDI E, CALANDRA RS, FRANÇA LR

Belo Horizonte, Brasil

Simposio; 1st International Symposium on Animal Biology of Reproduction; 2006

Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Leptin is the adipose-derived peptide that has been shown to be important for the regulation of food intake, metabolism and reproductive function in both males and females. Active leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) is localized in the arcuate and ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus, and also in the goanadotropes, Leydig and male germ cells. However, little is known regarding the role of leptin in the male reproductive tract. Recent sudies developed by our research group have shown that the hyperleptinemia caused by the neonatal administration of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) causes several alterations in the hyptothalamus-pituitary-testis (H-P-T) axis. However, because MSG damages the arcuate nucleus, thus altering the H-P-T axis, it was difficult to infer the direct effect of leptin in the testis. Therefore, the objectives of the this study were to investigate the effects of postnatal human recombinant leptin (HRL) on prepubertal testis development in rats.