Effects of leptin on lipopolysaccharide-induced myometrial apoptosis in an in vitro human model of chorioamnionitis.

Objective This study was aimed at assessing the role of leptin on human myometrium, by studying its receptor expression in pregnant myometrium and the interaction of leptin with inflammation-induced apoptosis. Study Design Myometrial samples were obtained from women with uncomplicated pregnancies who underwent cesarean delivery at term before labor onset. The effect of leptin on apoptosis was assessed by the incubation of myometrial strips with leptin (10 –10 to 10 –8 mol/L; 48 hours) before lipopolysaccharide treatment (10 μg/mL; 48 hours). Results Long and short leptin receptor isoforms were expressed in myometrial cells of pregnant women. Leptin prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced apopt…