The role of leptin in the development of the cerebral cortex in mouse embryos

Leptin is detected in the sera, and leptin receptors are expressed in the cerebrum of mouse embryos, suggesting that leptin plays a role in cerebral development. Compared with the wild type, leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice had fewer cells at embryonic day (E) 16 and E18 and had fewer 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine(+) cells at E14 and E16 in the neuroepithelium. Intracerebroventricular leptin injection in E14 ob/ob embryos increased the number of neuroepithelium cells at E16. In cultured neurosphere cells, leptin treatment increased Hes1 mRNA expression and maintained neural progenitors. Astrocyte differentiation was induced by low-dose (0.1 mu g/ml) but not high-dose (1 mu g/ ml) leptin. High-dose leptin decreased Id mRNA and increased Ngn1 mRNA in neurosphere cells. The neuropeptide Y mRNA level in the cortical plate was lower in ob/ob than the wild type at E16 and E18. These results suggest that leptin maintains neural progenitors and is related to glial and neuronal development in embryos.