Leptin and leptin receptor expression in a lipoblastoma in an 8-year-old girl.

Leptin is a hormone that is produced by adipocytes. Leptin acts on specific receptors in the hypothalamus. RNA was isolated from a lipoblastoma of an 8-year-old girl and the expression of leptin and leptin receptor mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR. The lipoblastoma tumor, a rare form of childhood tumors, expressed leptin and leptin receptors in a fashion similar to normal adipose tissue. We hypothesize that the peripheral action of leptin via its receptors could play a role in the development and/or progression of lipoblastoma. Whether or not leptin and leptin receptor expression play a role in the development and/or progression of lipoblastoma and other tumors is not clear to date. Copyrightz1999S.KargerAG, Basel