Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026
The 4-vessel Sampling Approach to Integrative Studies of Human Placental Physiology In Vivo
Published on: August 2, 2017
Reduced placental perfusion causes an increase in maternal serum leptin
L E Moore1, K L Wallace, B T Alexander
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216-4505, USA. lmoore@ob-gyn.umsmed.edu
Objective:
We tested the hypothesis that the inadequately perfused placenta increases production of leptin, which can be detected in maternal serum.
Study Design:
Sprague-Dawley rats (n=13), on day 14 of gestation, had placement of clips on the aorta and the ovarian arteries providing 35 per cent occlusion of the vessels. Eight rats had sham surgery and 14 rats served as non-surgical controls. All animals were sacrificed on day 19 of gestation. Maternal serum was obtained, and pups and placentae were weighed.
Results:
Both placental weights and pup weights were reduced due to reduced uterine perfusion and were negatively correlated with maternal serum leptin (P=0.018 and 0.028, respectively). Maternal serum leptin was increased in the treatment group (2.21 ng/ml+/-64 ng/ml) compared to controls (1.66 ng/ml+/-38 ng/ml) (P=0.031).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that reduced placental perfusion results in an increase in maternal serum leptin. Further investigation is needed to determine if maternal serum leptin may be useful in identifying pregnancies with uteroplacental insufficiency.
More Related Videos
11:44A Primary Human Trophoblast Model to Study the Effect of Inflammation Associated with Maternal Obesity on Regulation of Autophagy in the Placenta
Published on: September 27, 2017
05:31Disruption of the Mouse Blood-Brain Barrier by Small Extracellular Vesicles from Hypoxic Human Placentas
Published on: January 26, 2024
