Leptin Receptor (Ob-R) Expression In Dendritic Cells From Patients With Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Objective Chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by the production of antiplatelet antibodies. Leptin, an adipocyte-derived multifunctional factor, plays a role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases. In this study, we attempt to investigate the role of leptin and leptin receptor in the immunopathology of chronic ITP. There is accumulating evidence that leptin has a pleiotropic role in hematopoiesis, immune response, fibrogenesis, and hepatocarcinogenesis.Methods We investigated the expression of leptin receptor (OB-R) at the protein level by flow cytometry and also quantified by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the long form leptin receptor isoforms (OB-Rb) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and dendritic cells of patients with ITP and healthy controls.Results We observed significantly increased mRNA expression of long form leptin receptor(Ob-Rb) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)(1.89 folds, P=0.03) and dendritic cells from chronic ITP patients compared with controls. We also demonstrated significantly elevated protein level of leptin receptor in dendritic cells from ITP patients. The plasma of ITP patients can increase the expression of leptin receptor on dendritic cells.ConclusionsHigh leptin receptor level exists in patients with ITP. And the plasma of ITP patients could increase the expression of leptin receptor on dendritic cells. These findings suggest that leptin and leptin receptor could be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic ITP by activating the dendrtic cells.