Impaired activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by leptin is a novel mechanism of hepatic leptin resistance in diet-induced obesity

Obesity is associated with the development of leptin resistance. However, the effects of leptin resistance on leptin- regulated metabolic processes and the biochemical defects that cause leptin resistance are poorly understood. We have addressed in rats the effect of diet-induced obesity ( DIO), a situation of elevated tissue lipid levels, on the well described lipid- lowering effect of leptin in liver, an action that is proposed to be important for the prevention of tissue lipotoxicity and insulin resistance. In addition, we have addressed the role of phosphatidylinositol 3- kinase ( PI 3- kinase) in mediating the acute effects of leptin on hepatic lipid levels in lean and DIO animals. A 90- min leptin ( similar to 10 ng/ ml) perfusion of isolated livers from lean animals decreased triglyceride levels by 42 +/- 5% ( p = 0.006). However, leptin concentrations ranging from similar to 10 to similar to 90 ng/ ml had no effect on triglyceride levels in livers from DIO animals. The acute lipid- lowering effect of leptin on livers from lean animals was mediated by a PI 3- kinase- dependent mechanism, because wortmannin and LY294002, the PI 3- kinase inhibitors, blocked the effects of leptin on hepatic triglyceride levels and leptin increased liver PI 3- kinase activity by 183 +/- 6% ( p = 0.003) and insulin receptor substrate 1 tyrosine phosphorylation by 185 +/- 30% ( p = 0.02) in the absence of PI 3- kinase inhibitors. Contrary to the effects of leptin in lean livers, leptin did not activate PI 3- kinase in livers from DIO rats. These data present evidence for a role for 1) leptin resistance in contributing to the excessive accumulation of tissue lipid in obesity, 2) PI 3- kinase in mediating the acute lipid- lowering effects of leptin in liver, and 3) defective leptin activation of PI 3- kinase as a novel mechanism of leptin resistance.