Figure 3.

BBR reduced leptin expression in DEN model

(A and B) Serum leptin was reduced by BBR in male and female mice respectively, as detected by ELISA. Values are the mean ± SEM (male, n = 6 for each group in A; female, n = 5 for each group of 1 month; n = 8 for sham, n = 11 for the other groups of 6 months; n = 11 for each group of 9 and 12 months in B). (C) Leptin expression was detected by western blot of tumor and non-tumor liver tissues from male mice 6 and 8 months after DEN injection respectively, and normalized to that of ACTB. The ratio of leptin/ACTB was set as 1 in sham-treated group. Values are the mean ± SEM (n = 2–3). (D–F) Leptin expression was detected by ELISA in tumor and non-tumor tissues of the mouse livers from male mice sacrificed at 1, 4, 6, and 8 months after DEN injection, respectively. Values are the mean ± SEM (n = 5 for non-tumor tissues in D and E, n = 6 for nodular tumors in F). (G) Leptin mRNA was detected of tumor and liver tissues from male mice 8 months after DEN injection by real-time RT-PCR. The result was normalized to ACTB and presented as fold of that in the sham-treated group. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM (n = 9). ∗p < 0.05, ∗∗p < 0.01 versus that of DEN model group. ^#p < 0.05 versus the group treated with 0.04% BBR.