Leptin receptors in human skeletal muscle

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 2007-05, Vol.102 (5), p.1786-1792
• Main Authors: Guerra, Borja, Santana, Alfredo, Fuentes, Teresa, Delgado-Guerra, Safira, Cabrera-Socorro, Alfredo, Dorado, Cecilia, Calbet, Jose A. L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies; Antibody Specificity; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Brain; Carrier Proteins; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Human subjects; Humans; Hypothalamus - chemistry; Leptin - blood; Male; Men; Molecular Weight; Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry; Musculoskeletal system; Perilipin-1; Phosphoproteins - analysis; Protein Isoforms - analysis; Proteins; Rabbits; Receptors, Cell Surface - analysis; Receptors, Cell Surface - blood; Receptors, Cell Surface - immunology; Receptors, Leptin; Subcutaneous Fat - chemistry; Tissues
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01313.2006

1 Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2 Genetic Unit, Childhood Hospital Materno Infantil de Las Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and 3 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Canary Island, Spain Submitted 20 November 2006 ; accepted in final form 10 January 2007 Human skeletal muscle expresses leptin receptor mRNA; however, it remains unknown whether leptin receptors (OB-R) are also expressed at the protein level. Fourteen healthy men (age = 33.1 ± 2.0 yr, height = 175.9 ± 1.7 cm, body mass = 81.2 ± 3.8 kg, body fat = 22.5 ± 1.9%; means ± SE) participated in this investigation. The expression of OB-R protein was determined in skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and hypothalamus using a polyclonal rabbit anti-human leptin receptor. Three bands with a molecular mass close to 170, 128, and 98 kDa were identified by Western blot with the anti-OB-R antibody. All three bands were identified in skeletal muscle: the 98-kDa and 170-kDa bands were detected in hypothalamus, and the 98-kDa and 128-kDa bands were detected in thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue. The 128-kDa isoform was not detected in four subjects, whereas in the rest its occurrence was fully explained by the presence of intermuscular adipose tissue, as demonstrated using an anti-perilipin A antibody. No relationship was observed between the basal concentration of leptin in serum and the 170-kDa band density. In conclusion, a long isoform of the leptin receptor with a molecular mass close to 170 kDa is expressed at the protein level in human skeletal muscle. The amount of 170-kDa protein appears to be independent of the basal concentration of leptin in serum. obesity; adipose tissue; hypothalamus; perilipin Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: B. Guerra, Departamento de Educación Física, Campus Universitario de Tafira, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Island, Spain (e-mail: borja.guerra{at}gmail.com )