Expression of leptin receptor mRNA and the long form splice variant in human anterior pituitary and pituitary adenoma.

Expression of leptin receptor (OB-R) mRNA was detected in the human anterior pituitary as well as in ACTH-secreting and nonsecreting pituitary adenomas by RT-PCR with primers recognizing all receptor splice variants. Primers specific to the long splice variant of the leptin receptor (OB-Rb), containing the putative intracellular signalling domain, also revealed a strong expression in normal and adenomatous anterior pituitaries. These results indicate that the pituitary is a possible target tissue of leptin action and might be involved in leptin regulation of pituitary hormone secretion.