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

L S BORDONI; MARÍA OLGA SUESCUN; ANDRÉS GIOVAMBATTISTA; EDUARDO SPINEDI; RICARDO CALANDRA; LR FRANCA

Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

Simposio; International Symposium on Animal Biology of Reproduction; 2006

Brazilian College of Animal Reproduction

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 gonadotropes, Leydig and male germ cells. However, little is known regarding the role of leptin in the male reproductive tract. Recent studies develed by our research group have shown that hyperleptinemia caused by the neonatal administration of monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) causes several alterations in the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis (HPT) axis. However, because MSG damages the arcuate nucleus, thus altering the HPT axis, it was difficult to infer the direct effect of leptin in the testis.Thus, the aims of this investigation were to study the effects of postnatal human recombinant leptin (HRL) on prepubertal rat testis development.