Transduction of leptin growth signals in placental cells is independent of JAK-STAT activation

We have characterized the transduction pathways induced by leptin in the placenta, using human BeWo cells that express endogenous leptin receptors and synthesize leptin in a regulated manner. We first examined if the JAK-STAT phosphorylation cascade was functional in these cells. Phosphorylated JAK2 was primarily bound to a short 106 kDa leptin receptor isoform and to a lesser extent to a 210 kDa molecule. Leptin neither enhanced JAK2 phosphorylation nor activated STAT3 and STAT1 proteins indicating that JAK2 is constitutively activated and that the JAK-STAT transduction pathway is not recruited by leptin in BeWo cells. By contrast, leptin stimulated the transcription of the c-fos gene (3-fold) and cell proliferation (2-fold) as measured by DNA synthesis. Both effects were dependent on the rapid phosphorylation of p42-44 MAPK but not p38 MAPK. We conclude that a functional JAK-STAT pathway is not required for leptin to transduce proliferative signals in human placental cells. These findings extend the physiological action of leptin beyond its central effects, to the control of placental gene transcription and cell proliferation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.