Defining the Transcriptional Targets of Leptin Reveals a Role for Atf3 in Leptin Action

We employed translating ribosome affinity purification followed by RNA sequencing to isolate and analyze mRNA from the hypothalamic LepRb neurons of wild-type or leptin-deficient (Lepob/ob) mice treated with vehicle or exogenous leptin. Although the expression of most of the genes encoding the neuropeptides commonly considered to represent the main targets of leptin action were altered only following chronic leptin deprivation, our analysis revealed other transcripts that were coordinately regulated by leptin under multiple treatment conditions. Among these, acute leptin treatment increased expression of the transcription factor Atf3 in LepRb neurons. 28 samples, 14 Bead and 14 Supernatant