Leptin Inhibits The Apoptosis Of Cultured Cardiac Myocytes Induced By Serum Deprivation

Leptin, a hormone composed of 167 amino acids, is the product of the obese gene ( ob ) gene. Both leptin and leptin receptors (Ob-R) have been found in the heart. Various studies suggested a close relationship between cardiovascular function and leptin. There is evidence that leptin can protect cardiac myocytes from hypoxic damage. However, whether or not leptin has any effect on the apoptosis of cardiac myocytes has never been addressed before. Here we tried to examine the effect of leptin on apoptosis induced by serum deprivation of cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. The results showed that leptin (5×10-8M) had antiapoptotic effect in cultured cardiac myocytes and decreased caspase 3 mRNA level,suggesting the mechanism may relate to caspase 3. In addition to preventing apoptosis, leptin increased cell viability and increased the antioxidation capacity of cardiac myocytes.