Changes in leptin expression are not associated with corresponding changes in CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha.
C/EBP-alpha binds a C/EBP consensus site in the leptin promoter and activates transcription in vitro. We assessed adipose tissue expression of C/EBP-alpha, leptin and beta-actin in Sprague Dawley rats under conditions that modulate leptin mRNA abundance in order to study the relationship between leptin and C/EBP-alpha expression patterns. During acute fasting, which decreased the level of leptin and beta-actin mRNA, C/EBP-alpha mRNA expression was unaltered. In leptin-treated and pair-fed animals, C/EBP-alpha mRNA was unaltered compared to ad libitum fed controls, while leptin and beta-actin mRNA expression was again decreased. These results indicate that changes in the level of leptin gene expression are not directly associated with changes in the level of C/EBP-alpha abundance.