Role of astrocytic leptin receptor subtypes on leptin permeation across hCMEC/D3 human brain endothelial cells

Astrocytic leptin receptors (ObR) can be up-regulated in conditions such as adult-onset obesity. To determine whether the levels and subtypes of astrocytic ObR modulate leptin transport, we co-cultured hCMEC/D3 human brain endothelial cells and C6 astrocytoma cells in the Transwell system, and tested leptin permeation from apical to basolateral chambers. In comparison with hCMEC alone, co-culture of C6 cells reduced the permeability of paracellular markers and leptin. Unexpectedly, ObRb over-expression in C6 cells increased leptin permeation whereas ObRa over-expression showed no effect when compared with the control group of pcDNA-transfected C6 cells. By contrast, the paracellular permeability to the sodium fluorescein control was unchanged by overexpression of ObR subtypes. Leptin remained intact after crossing the monolayer as shown by HPLC and acid precipitation, and this was not affected by C6 cell co-culture or the over-expression of different ObR subtypes. Thus, increased expression of ObRb (and to a lesser extent ObRe) in C6 cells specifically increased the permeation of leptin across the hCMEC monolayer. Consistent with the evidence that the most apparent regulatory changes of ObR during obesity and inflammation occur in astrocytes, the results indicate that astrocytes actively regulate leptin transport across the blood-brain barrier, a mechanism independent of reduction of paracellular permeability.