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Leptin is a hormone that mediates the effect of the metabolic state on several biological functions, including reproduction. Leptin affects reproductive functions via alterations in the release of hormonal regulators. However, the extent to which caloric restriction (CR) can affect the complex processes of reproduction by other mechanisms, such as altering ovarian functions via direct binding/response to leptin, is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to show basic ovarian cell functions and CR on the response of ovarian cells to leptin. Female rabbits were subjected to 50% CR restriction for 10 days before ovulation. On the day of ovulation, both control and CR animals were sacrificed. Isolated granulosa cells were cultured for 2 days with and without leptin (100 ng/ml), and the accumulation of various markers was evaluated using immunocytochemistry; i.e., cell proliferation (PCNA and cyclin B1), apoptosis (bax), MAP/ERK1,2 kinase (MAPK), protein kinase A (PKA), and IGF-I. In addition, the release of IGF-I and estradiol (E₂) by cells cultured with and without leptin (1, 10, 100, 1000, or 10,000 ng/ml) was assessed by radioimmunoassay (RIA). In the granulosa cells of control animals, leptin promoted cyclin B1, MAPK, and PKA accumulation, but not that of PCNA, and reduced bax and IGF-I accumulation. These cells responded to leptin by increased IGF-I, but not E₂ release. In cells of CR animals, leptin increased cyclin B1 accumulation, but decreased PCNA, MAPK, and IGF-I expression. Bax and PKA were not affected. Leptin resulted in a decrease in IGF-I release. CR modulated the influence of leptin on E₂ release dose dependently, i.e., E₂ increased at 10 and decreased at 10,000 ng/ml. Therefore, CR modified the influence of leptin on PCNA, E₂, bax, PKA, MAPK, and IGF-I release, but it did not change the effect of leptin on cyclin B1 and IGF-I accumulation within the cells. Our data showed that leptin directly affected proliferation, apoptosis, and hormone release by ovarian cells, probably via PKA- and MAPK-dependent pathways. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that nutrition could influence reproduction by affecting the response of ovarian cells to leptin. © 2016 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn