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Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Cellulare e Animale, Università di Camerino, via F Camerini 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy
¹ Dipartimento di Scienze Biopatologiche Veterinarie, Laboratorio di Biotecnologie Fisiologiche, Università di Perugia, S Costanzo 4, 06100 Perugia, Italy
² Dipartimento di Scienze Biopatologiche Veterinarie, Sezione di Anatomia, Università di Perugia, S Costanzo 4, 06100 Perugia, Italy

(Requests for offprints should be addressed to M Zerani; Email: massimo.zerani{at}unicam.it)

In this study, we have examined the presence and the distribution of receptors for leptin (Ob-R) in the oviduct of rabbits, and the effects of leptin on the release of prostaglandin (PG) F2 and PGE2 and on the activity of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) by oviducts cultured in vitro. Rabbits were killed during the follicular phase and the oviducts were incubated in vitro with leptin, PGF2, PGE2, NO donor and inhibitors of NOS and cyclo-oxigenase (COX). Using immunohistochemistry, Ob-R-like positive reaction was observed only in the cytoplasm of secretory cells, having stronger intensity in the infundibulum and ampulla tracts than in the isthmus. Both leptin and NO donor inhibited PGE2 release, whereas they enhanced PGF2 release; NOS inhibitor alone or with leptin increased PGE2 and decreased PGF2 production; NOS activity was enhanced by leptin, while PGs did not affect this enzyme. This study suggests that the oviduct could be a potential target for endocrine regulation by leptin, whose circulating levels may act as a metabolic signal modulating oviductal PG release through mediation of the NOS/NO system.

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