Leptin
Influence of leptin on vessel health: In collaboration with Daniel T. Eitzman, M.D. in Cardiovascular Medicine and Martin G. Myers Jr. MD, PhD in Metabolism &, Endocrinology, we are examining the importance of leptin and leptin receptor signaling on vascular physiology. Our lab is specifically focused on blood clot formation using mice with specific leptin receptor mutations.
To date we have been examining the tendency of these mice to form occlusive blood clots inside injured vessels (much like happens during a heart attack or stroke). We and others have observed that mice with a leptin receptor deletion do not form clots quickly. This is surpising as one would expect rapid clot development based on their "risk" profile (high fat mass, elevated PAI-1, etc.). There are several relevant publications related to this (see below). We are evaluating unique leptin receptor mutant mouse lines to explore this topic more closely.
Bodary PF, Gu S, Shen Y, Hasty AH, Buckler JM, Eitzman DT. Recombinant leptin promotes atherosclerosis and thrombosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2005 Aug;25(8):e119-22. Epub 2005 Jun 9.
Bodary PF, Westrick RJ, Wickenheiser KJ, Shen Y, Eitzman DT. Effect of leptin on arterial thrombosis following vascular injury in mice.