Leptin does not seem to influence glucose uptake by bovine mammary explants.
Leptin, a protein produced and secreted by adipocytes, is know to regulate food intake and whole-body energy metabolism, but knowledge about its possible effect in bovine mammary gland is scarce. Leptin may be involved in the regulation of glucose transport even though this effect at the tissue level remains controversial. Once uptaken by the mammary gland, glucose is utilised in several ways but the majority, about 60-70%, is drained for lactose synthesis. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of leptin on glucose regulation in bovine mammary gland. We have examined the effects of leptin on the expression of GLUT1 mRNA, pyruvate kinase (PK) as well as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity. Treatment of mammary gland explants with recombinant leptin did not influence glucose assimilation, pathway transport (GLUT1 mRNA) and glucose metabolism (PK and G6PDH) in this tissue. The results from this study seem to exclude an involvement of leptin in glucose uptake and metabolism in bovine mammary gland.