Leptin protection of salivary gland acinar cells against ethanol cytotoxicity involves Src kinase-mediated parallel activation of prostaglandin and constitutive nitric oxide synthase pathways.

Leptin, a pleiotropic cytokine secreted by adipocytes but also identified in salivary glands and saliva, is recognized as an important element of oral mucosal defense. Here, we report that in sublingual salivary glands leptin protects the acinar cells of against ethanol cytotoxicity. We show that ethanol- induced cytotoxicity, characterized by a marked drop in the acinar cell capacity for NO production, arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin generation, was subject to suppression by leptin. The loss in countering capacity of leptin on the ethanol-induced cytotoxicity was attained with cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin and nitric oxide synthase (cNOS) inhibitor, L-NAME, as well as PP2, an inhibitor of Src kinase. Indomethacin, while not affecting leptin-induced arachidonic acid release, caused the inhibition in PGE2 generation, pretreatment with L-NAME led to the inhibition in NO production, whereas PP2 exerted the inhibitory effect on leptin-induced changes in NO, arachidonic acid, and PGE2. The leptin-induced changes in arachidonic acid release and PGE2 generation were blocked by ERK inhibitor, PD98059, but not by PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin. Further, leptin suppression of ethanol cytotoxicity was reflected in the increased Akt and cNOS phosphorylation that was sensitive to PP2. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of leptin on the acinar cell cNOS activity was inhibited not only by PP2, but also by Akt inhibitor, SH-5, while wortmannin had no effect. Our findings demonstrate that leptin protection of salivary gland acinar cells against ethanol cytotoxicity involves Src kinase-mediated parallel activation of MAPK/ERK and Akt that result in up-regulation of the respective prostaglandin and nitric oxide synthase pathways.