OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulation of leptin on insulin secretion and expression of ATP-sensitive potassium channel subunit sulfonulurea receptor 1 (SUR1) mRNA, and to determine whether the effects of leptin are mediated through known intracellular signaling transduction.

METHODSPancreatic islets were isolated by the collagenase method from male SD rats. The purified islets were incubated with different concentrations of leptin for 2 h in the presence of different concentrations of glucose. Insulin release was measured using radioimmunoassay. Expression of SUR1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSIn the presence of leptin 2 nmol/L, insulin release was significantly inhibited at either 11.1 or 16.7 mmol/L glucose concentration (both P < 0.05), but insulin release was not altered at glucose of 5.6 mmol/L physiological concentration. The dose-response experiment showed that the maximal effect of leptin on insulin secretion achieved at 2 nmol/L. Exposure of islets to 2 nmol/L leptin induced a significant increase of SUR1 transcription levels by 71% (P < 0.01) at 11.1 mmol/L glucose and by 56% (P < 0.05) at 16.7 mmol/L glucose concentration. Selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor wortmannin significantly prevented the leptin effect on insulin secretion and SUR1 mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONSRegulatory effects of leptin on insulin secretion could be biphasic at different concentrations of glucose and leptin. The stimulatory regulation of SUR1 transcription levels may be mediated through activation of PI 3-kinase pathway, which may be a possible mechanism of leptin in regulating insulin secretion.