Expression of leptin receptors and induction of IL-1 beta transcript in glial cells

To examine the role of leptin in the immune function of the brain, we exami ned the effect of leptin on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) expression in mo use primary cultured glial cells. The expression of leptin receptor isoform s Ob-Ra and Ob-Rb mRNA was detected by RT-PCR analysis of total RNA from pr imary cultured glial cells. Protein of leptin receptor was also expressed i n mouse primary cultured glial cells as evaluated by Western blotting analy sis. Leptin increased the expression of IL-1 beta mRNA evaluated by RT-PCR. The expression of IL-1 beta transcript peaked 2 to 6 h after leptin applic ation. These results indicate that leptin could induce IL-1 beta transcript in the brain and that one of the target cells of the leptin-induced IL-1 b eta transcript may be a glial cell. (C) 2000 Academic Press.