Lipolytic effect of in vivo leptin administration on adipocytes of lean and ob/ob mice, but not db/db mice

The present study has examined the effect of a single in vivo intraperitoneal injection of the adipocyte-derived hormone, leptin, on the in vitro lipolysis of fat cells of different types of mice.

Administration of 1 and 10 mg leptin per kg body weight to ob/ob mice significantly increased (P < 0.0001) the basal lipolytic activity compared to ob/ob mice receiving vehicle solution (phosphate-buffered saline, PBS). The highest leptin dose tested (10 mg/kg body weight) produced a threefold increase in basal lipolysis. In lean mice administration of 10 mg leptin per kilogram of body weight produced an increase in basal lipolysis of 52.7% (P < 0.01). However, in db/db mice none of the three leptin doses injected had a significant effect on the lipolytic activity of adipocytes relative to basal lipolysis observed in db/db mice injected with PBS only.

These data provide evidence for a lipolytic effect of leptin on white adipose tissue, which operates independently from changes in food intake, body weight, and the size of the fat stores.

CITATION Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998 Sep 8;250(1):99-102