BACKGROUND: Leptin as a cytokine-like hormone is derived from ob gene (one of the major effect genes on birth weight and growth traits) and is secreted by adipose tissue. This hormone with binding to its receptors in the hypothalamus, inhibits food intake and increases energy consumption. OBJECTIVES: There is not any report about expression of leptin gene in response to oral administration of selenium in livestock. In the present study, the effects of selenium nanoparticle and sodium selenite on the transcription of leptin gene in placenta were studied. METHODS: Twenty, four-month pregnant ewes within the same age were selected randomly. During the 21 days leading up to birth, oral administration of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) with dosages of 0.05 and 0.10 mg/kg B.W. and sodium selenite with dosage of 0.1 mg/kg B.W. was carried out. At the same time the control group was fed distilled water in equal volume. With sampling of the placenta during childbirth, transcription amount of leptin gene was determined by RT PCR Real Time based on a comparison assay of 2-ΔΔCt. Results: The results of this study showed that leptin gene is expressed in placental tissue. The oral administration of selenium nanoparticle and sodium selenite caused a significant increment in terms of expression of mentioned gene in comparison to the control treatment. Also, there was a significant difference between the supplements, so that the highest leptin gene expression in placenta was observed in selenium nanoparticle treatment with dose of 0.1 mg and then supplement with selenium nanoparticles with dose of 0.05 mg. CONCLUSIONS: Selenium causes an increment of leptin gene expression in placental tissue.

Objective: To determine associations between serum concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, and insulin in healthy cats. Animals: 56 healthy adult client-owned cats. Procedures: Body condition score (BCS) was determined, and blood samples were collected after food was withheld for 12 hours. Serum was harvested for fatty acid analysis and measurement of serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol. Results: 1 cat was removed because of hyperglycemia. Significant interaction effects between BCS and serum concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were detected for the analyses of associations between EPA and serum concentrations of adiponectin, insulin, and triglyceride. Cats were categorized into nonobese (BCS, 4 to 6 [n = 34 cats]) and obese (BCS, 7 to 8 [21]) groups; serum concentrations of EPA were directly associated with concentrations of adiponectin and inversely associated with concentrations of insulin and triglyceride in obese cats and were directly associated with concentrations of leptin and inversely associated with concentrations of adiponectin in nonobese cats. Additionally, serum concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid were directly associated with concentrations of adiponectin in obese cats. No significant associations between serum concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid or α-linolenic acid were detected in the analyses for all cats. Female cats had higher serum concentrations of adiponectin and lower concentrations of glucose than did male cats. Increased age was associated with a small increase in serum concentrations of leptin. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: EPA may ameliorate the decrease in adiponectin and the increase in insulin and triglyceride concentrations in obese cats.

Objective: To determine associations between serum concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or body condition and serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, or triglyceride in healthy dogs. Animals: 62 healthy adult client-owned dogs. Procedures: Body condition score and percentage of body fat were determined. Blood samples were collected after food was withheld for 12 hours. Serum was harvested for total lipid determination, fatty acid analysis, and measurement of serum concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglyceride. Associations between the outcome variables (adiponectin, leptin, insulin, glucose, and triglyceride concentrations) and each of several variables (age, sex, percentage of body fat, and concentrations of total lipid, α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) were determined. Results: Serum concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid were significantly positively associated with concentrations of adiponectin and leptin and negatively associated with concentrations of triglyceride. Serum concentrations of α-linolenic acid were significantly positively associated with concentrations of triglyceride. No significant associations were detected between serum concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic acid and any of the outcome variables. Percentage of body fat was significantly positively associated with concentrations of leptin, insulin, and triglyceride but was not significantly associated with adiponectin concentration. Age was positively associated with concentrations of leptin, insulin, and triglyceride and negatively associated with concentrations of adiponectin. Sex did not significantly affect serum concentrations for any of the outcome variables. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Docosapentaenoic acid may increase serum concentrations of adiponectin and leptin and decrease serum triglyceride concentration in healthy dogs.

Objective--To evaluate 5 commercially available ELISAs for determination of leptin concentrations in serum samples from dogs. Sample Population--Serum samples from overweight-obese and thin–ideal weight clientowned dogs. Procedures--Serum samples with high and low leptin concentrations (n = 7 samples each) were used for validation of the assays. Intra- and interassay precision, linearity under dilution, spiking recovery, and limit of quantification were determined. In addition, leptin concentrations in thin–ideal weight (n = 8) and overweight-obese (37) dogs were quantified. Results--Use of 2 of the 5 ELISAs (A and B) revealed reactivity with canine leptin. Intra-and interassay coefficients of variation were < 6.1% and 76%, respectively, for assay A and 14.0% and 13.7%, respectively, for assay B. In assays A and B, dilutions of canine serum pools were used to determine linear regression equations. Recoveries were 77% to 101% for assay A and 67% to 125% for assay B. Significant differences in leptin concentrations between thin–ideal weight and overweight-obese dogs were detected only when analyzed with assay A. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--Among 5 leptin ELISAs evaluated, a canine-specific leptin ELISA had adequate precision, linearity, and ability to discriminate between high and low leptin concentrations corresponding to overweight-obese and thin–ideal weight dogs, respectively.

Objective-To use threshold concentrations of acetone and beta-hydroxybutyrate in milk and serum, respectively; identify risk for ketosis and endometritis; and assess analyses of blood and milk samples as predictors of risk for ketosis in high-yielding dairy cows. Animals-90 multiparous Holstein cows. Procedure-At intervals before and after parturition, blood samples were obtained for determination of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, leptin, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Samples of milk were obtained at similar intervals after parturition for determination of fat content and concentrations of acetone, protein, and lactose. Reproductive examination of each cow was performed weekly. Results-For each cow, threshold concentrations of acetone and β-hydroxybutyrate were calculated as 75th and 90th percentiles of maximum postpartum concentrations of acetone in milk (0.40 and 0.87 mmol/L) and β-hydroxybutyrate in serum (2.30 and 3.51 mmol/L). Significant decrease in milk production (442 to 654 kg of energy-corrected milk/305-day period per cow) was associated with acetone or beta-hydroxybutyrate in excess of threshold values. Milk acetone concentrations > 0.40 mmol/L were associated with 3.2 times higher risk for endometritis. Low plasma glucose, high serum beta-hydroxybutyrate, and high milk acetone concentrations during week 1 after parturition were indicators of increased risk for ketosis later during lactation. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Determination of milk acetone concentration during the week after parturition may identify cows at risk for ketosis and endometritis; with appropriate interventions, development of disease and production losses may be reduced.

Obesity is a metabolic condition that causes people to develop a variety of diseases and has emerged as a serious global public-health problem. Tocotrienol, a member of the vitamin E family that comes from the annatto bean (Bixa orellana), is special in that it doesn't contain alpha-tocopherol and instead mostly consists of delta-tocotrienol (approximately 90%) and gamma-tocotrienol (about 10%). This investigation aimed to ascertain whether annatto tocotrienol could improve certain biochemical indicators and metabolic hormones in male rats fed a high-fat diet. Eighteen adult male rats in total were split into three groups randomly (6 for each). Control group was given a diet low in fat (LF 10 % kcal from fat), High fat diet (HFD) group was fed with high fat diet (HF 60 % kcal from fat), And high fat diet with tocotrienol (HFDT) group was fed with high fat diet additive tocotrienol (60 mg/kg) dissolved in olive oil (1ml/kg) for 12 weeks. Tocotrienol treatment led to a significant decrease in total protein and globulin compared with the high-fat diet group and it significantly increased HDL-C compared with rats fed on a high-fat diet and control groups. While, tocotrienols significantly reduced the level of LDL and insulin hormone in the High fat diet plus tocotrienols group compared to the other groups.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the usefulness of intestinal biomarkers in determining the presence of intestinal epithelial damage in neonatal calves with diarrhea caused by 4 etiologic agents. ANIMALS 40 neonatal calves that were healthy (n = 10) or had diarrhea (30). PROCEDURES The study was a cross-sectional study. Results of hematologic analyses and serum concentrations of intestinal fatty acid–binding protein (I-FABP), liver fatty acid–binding protein (L-FABP), trefoil factor 3 (TFF-3), Claudin-3 (CLDN-3), γ-enteric smooth muscle actin (ACTG2), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), interleukin-8 (IL-8), platelet-activating factor (PAF), and leptin (LP) were compared among calves grouped according to whether they were healthy (control group; G-1) or had diarrhea caused by K99 Escherichia coli (G-2; n = 10), bovine rota- or coronavirus (G-3; 5 each), or Cryptosporidium spp (G-4; 10). RESULTS Across the 3 time points at which blood samples were obtained and evaluated, the groups of calves with diarrhea generally had markedly higher mean serum concentrations of L-FABP, TFF-3, IAP, IL-8, and LP, compared with the control group. In addition, G-2 also consistently had markedly higher mean serum concentrations of I-FAB and ACTG2 and lower mean serum concentrations of CLDN-3, compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that degree of intestinal epithelial damage differed among calves grouped by the etiologic agent of diarrhea and that such damage might have been more severe in calves with diarrhea caused by K99 E coli. Additionally, our results indicated that serum concentrations of I-FABP, L-FABP, TFF-3, IAP, IL-8, ACTG2, LP, and CLDN-3 were useful biomarkers of intestinal epithelial damage in calves of the present study.

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of hydrocortisone administration on serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations, abdominal fat distribution, and mRNA expression of leptin and adiponectin in abdominal adipose tissue of dogs. ANIMALS 12 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES Dogs received hydrocortisone (8.5 mg/kg; n = 6) or a placebo (6) orally every 12 hours for 90 days. Serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured with a canine-specific ELISA on the day before (day 0; baseline) and during (days 1, 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90) administration. On days 0, 30, 60, and 90, abdominal fat mass was quantified with CT, and mRNA expression of leptin and adiponectin in abdominal fat was analyzed by use of a PCR assay. RESULTS Hydrocortisone administration resulted in an increase in visceral fat mass on days 60 and 90, compared with the mass at baseline. Visceral fat mass at the level of L3 increased during hydrocortisone administration. Serum leptin concentration began to increase on day 1 and was significantly higher than the baseline concentration on days 30 and 60. Serum adiponectin concentration on days 30, 60, and 90 was significantly lower than the baseline concentration. Leptin and adiponectin mRNA expression in abdominal fat was greater on day 30, compared with expression at baseline, but lower on days 60 and 90, compared with expression on day 30. Serum leptin concentration and visceral fat mass were correlated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Hydrocortisone administration affected abdominal fat distribution and serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations through dysregulation of leptin and adiponectin expression.

Diabetes is characterized by hyperphagia, and polydypsia. However, the mechanisms by which diabetes produces these effects are not clear. This study was conducted to examine changes in serum insulin and leptin levels in induced-type 1 diabetes mellitus in relation to concomitant changes in body weight, glycemic state and lipid profiles in rats. Moreover, we aimed to clarify that the treatment with lipoic acid (LA) is capable of reversing these effects or not. Ninety-six male rats were divided into 3 groups, control group (32 rats) was considered as normal non-diabetic, 64 rats were subcutaneously injected with alloxan (120 mg/kg.b.wt) for induction of diabetes. Then the diabetic rats were divided into two equal subgroups, the first is diabetic group that was not treated with LA, and the other is LA-treated diabetic group that was treated with LA at a dose 100 mg/kg b.wt / day for four weeks. Body weight, serum lipid profile, glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment– insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and leptin were measured. The data showed significant increase in serum triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and glucose levels as well as HOMA-IR while significant decrease in the mean body weight gain, serum insulin and leptin levels in diabetic group in comparison with control group. The treatment with lipoic acid led to significant decrease in serum fasting and postprandial glucose, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol levels as well as slight decreased HOMA-IR with significant increased levels of serum insulin and leptin in comparison with diabetic group. It could be concluded that alloxan-induced diabetes led to hyperglycaemia, insulin resistance, hyperlipideamia and hypoleptinamia. Moreover, treatment with lipoic acid ameliorates these changes and improves insulin sensitivity.