Leptin in pregnancy and development: A contributor to adulthood disease?

Abstract

Emerging research has highlighted the importance of leptin in fetal growth and development independent of its essential role in the maintenance of hunger and satiety through the modulation of neuropeptide Y and proopiomelanocortin neurons. Alterations in maternal-placental-fetal leptin exchange may modify the development of the fetus and contribute to the increased risk of developing disease in adulthood. In addition, leptin also plays an important role in reproductive functions, with plasma leptin concentrations rising in pregnant women, peaking during the third trimester. Elevated plasma leptin concentrations occur at the completion of organogenesis, and research in animal models has demon..