Mechanism of leptin-induced catecholamine secretion in the perfused rat adrenal medulla

It has been demonstrated the presence of leptin receptors (Ob-Ra) on epinephrine-secreting chromaffin cells in rat adrenal medulla, suggesting that leptin may directly affect the adrenal medulla (Cao et al., 1997). Leptin is found to stimulate catecholamine (CA) synthesis in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells (Utsumomiya et al., 2001; Shibuya et al., 2002)and cultured porcine adrenal medullary cells (Takekoshi et al., 2001). Thus, the present study was designed to examine the effect of leptin on CA release from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland, and to establish its mechanism of action. (omitted)