The Role of Leptin on the Organization and Expression of Cytoskeleton Elements in Nucleus Pulposus Cells

Obesity is an important risk factor for intervertebral disc degeneration and leptin is a biomarker of obesity. However, the expression of leptin receptors has not been determined in disc tissue. It is not known whether leptin has a direct effect on the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. To determine whether the NP tissues and cells express leptin receptors (OBRa and OBRb) and whether leptin affects the organization and the expression of major cytoskeletal elements in NP cells. Messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of OBRa and OBRb were measured by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively, in NP tissues and cells. Immunofluorescence and real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to investigate the effect of leptin on cytoskeleton reorganization and expression. Results show that mRNA and proteins of OBRa and OBRb were expressed in all NP tissues and cells, and that OBRb expression was correlated with patients' body weight. Increased expression of β-actin and reorganization of F-actin were evident in leptin-stimulated NP cells. Leptin also induced vimentin expression but had no effect on β-tubulin in NP cells. These findings provide novel evidence supporting the possible involvement of leptin in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31: 847–857, 2013