Disordered Leptin signaling in the retrotrapezoid nucleus is associated with the impaired hypercapnic ventilatory response in obesity

Sleep-disordered breathing is characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns during sleep. Obesity is closely related to hypoventilation or apnea and becomes a primary risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing. Leptin, a peptide secreted by adipose tissue, has been implicated in central control of breathing. Activation of the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) neurons, a critical central respiratory chemoreceptor candidate, potentiates a central drive to breathing. Here, we ask whether the disordered leptin signaling in the RTN is responsible for obesity-related hypoventilation. In a diet induced obesity (DIO) mouse model, the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) was assessed and the cellular leptin signaling in the RTN was examined. Our main findings demonstrate that DIO mice exhibit overweight, hypercapnia, high levels of serum and cerebrospinal leptin. During exposure to room air, DIO mice manifest basal hypoventilation with a rapid and shallow breathing pattern. Exposure to CO2 elicits the impaired HCVR in DIO mice. In addition, both the number of CO2-activated neurons and expression of TASK-2 channels in the RTN are dramatically reduced in DIO mice. Moreover, there is leptin signaling disorder in RTN neurons in DIO mice, including a significant decrease in leptin-activated RTN neurons, downregulation of phosphorylated STAT3 and upregulation of SOCS3. Altogether, we suggest that the disordered leptin/STAT3/SOCS3 signaling pathway in the RTN plays a role in obesity-related hypoventilation.