Evaluation of Serum Leptin and Placental Leptin Receptors using (LEP) Marker in Abortion at Second trimester

Objectives: to investigate the relation between serum leptin level and placental leptin receptor in second trimester abortion women. Methods: A case control study was carried out from November 2011 to April 2012. Sixty pregnant women with a comparable age at second trimester between 14–24 wks of gestation were collected. Blood and placenta tissue samples were taken from them at the time of their admission to hospitals in Baghdad. Control for the leptin receptor was taken from women with premature delivery (28-34 wk). Body mass index was calculated for each woman. Results: serum leptin concentration were significantly lower in abortion at second trimester compared with leptin of healthy pregnant control (3.5±0.8 pg/ml vs. 24.4±0.7 pg/ml, p=0.0001) and leptin/BMI ratio vs. control (0.1±0.02 vs. 0.9±0.01 ml, p=0.0001. In abortion, structural localization of leptin receptors in placental tissue was mainly confined to the blood lakes and around blood vessels. Conclusion: Serum leptin level of second trimester abortion women was found normal and not elevated as it is aspect during second trimester of healthy pregnancy. This finding was confirmed by the declines of localization of leptin receptor in syncytiotrophoblast cells where they are responsible for the production of hormones vital to pregnancy maintenance. This finding may suggest a potential for autocrine or paracrine interactions within placental tissue.