Leptin action on trophoblastic cells survival under hypoxia condition

BALESTRINI, PAULA; MASKIN, BERNARDO; TORO, AYELEN; VARONE, CECILIA; JAIME, MARIANA

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXI Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica; 2016

Leptin is produced by placenta and has many roles as an autocrine hormone. We have previously demonstrated that leptin promotes proliferation and survival of trophoblastic cells. In the present work we aimed to study the mechanisms that mediate the effect of leptin in placental apoptosis induced by cobalt chloride (CoCl2), a hypoxia mimicking agent. We determined whether leptin modulates p53 expression and activity of placental cells, and also studied the regulation of HIF-1α. Swan-71 cells, cultured under standard conditions, as well as, human placenta explants were used. Placental cells and explants were treated with CoCl2 (50, 100 and 250 µM) to induce apoptosis and with or without 100 ng/ml of recombinant leptin. Western blot and transfection assays with a p53 reporter constructs vectors were carried out. All procedures were approved by ethical review committee at the A Posadas National Hospital. In order to prove CoCl2 effect, we studied HIF-1α expression and we confirmed that the treatment with 100 µM of CoCl2 induced its expression (p