A novel leptin receptor isoform in rat.

Five mouse and human leptin receptors (Ob-R) have recently been identified, a long isoform (Ob-Rb), preferentially expressed in hypothalamus, and 4 short isoforms, Ob-Ra, Ob-Rc, Ob-Rd, and Ob-Re. We have identified a new short isoform in the rat, r-OB-Rf, with 6 C-terminal amino acids and a 3' untranslated region without homology to other Ob-R isoforms. Its higher expression in rat liver and spleen compared to brain, stomach, kidney, thymus, heart, lung and hypothalamus, contrasts with Ob-Ra and Ob-Rb homologues and raises possibilities of as yet unidentified roles for members of the growing Ob-R gene family.