Effect of nicotine on the expression of leptin and forebrain leptin receptors in the rat.

We have previously reported that chronic nicotine administration (4.0 mg/kg/day by i.p. injection over 14 days) up-regulates orexin/hypocretin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA expression and peptide levels within the hypothalamus. Since there exists a coregulation between these neuropeptides and the protein leptin, the present study was undertaken to determine whether nicotine has a regulatory effect on leptin signaling. Under the same experimental regimen used previously, we found that nicotine down-regulates plasma leptin concentration by 48.8% (P<0.001) and leptin RNA level by 11.4% and 12.4%, respectively, in the perirenal and epididymal white adipose tissue (PWAT, EWAT) compared to the saline controls. We also measured an approximately 20% decrease in white and brown adipose tissue (BAT) by weight in nicotine-treated animals relative to saline controls (P<0.05). On the other hand, we found that chronic nicotine administration increased the expression levels of OB-Rb mRNA by 12% and OB-R mRNA by 25% in the medial basal hypothalamus compared to control rats. Subsequent radioligand binding assays indicated that nicotine also significantly increased leptin binding in ventromedial hypothalamic area (VMA), medial basal hypothalamic area (MBA), arcuate nucleus/median eminence, paraventricular nuclei and piriform cortex. Taken together, our results revealed that nicotine is involved in the regulation of leptin signaling, suggesting that leptin and its receptor play a role in the anorectic effects of nicotine on food intake and body weight in rats.