help button home button Endocrine Society JCEM JCEM Call for Nominations for EIC
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a related Letter to the Editor
Right arrow Purchase Article
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by HorlickK, M. B.
Right arrow Articles by Leibel, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by HorlickK, M. B.
Right arrow Articles by Leibel, R. L.
Right arrowPubmed/NCBI databases
*Substance via MeSH
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 85, No. 7 2509-2518
Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society

Original Studies

Effect of Puberty on the Relationship between Circulating Leptin and Body Composition1

Mary B. HorlickK, Michael Rosenbaum, Margery Nicholson, Lenore S. Levine, Barbara Fedun, Jack Wang, Richard N. Pierson, Jr. and Rudolph L. Leibel

Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (M.B.H., M.R., R.L.L., L.S.L.), New York, New York 10032; Body Composition Unit, St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center (J.W., B.F., R.N.P.) New York, New York 10019; and Amgen Inc. (M.N.), Thousand Oaks, California 91320-1789

Address correspondence and requests for reprints to: Michael Rosenbaum, M.D., Division of Molecular Genetics, Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion and Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, 1150 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, New York 10032. E-mail: mr475{at}columbia.edu

Circulating concentrations of leptin are better correlated with absolute amounts of adipose tissue [fat mass (FM)] than with relative body fatness (body mass index or percent body fat). There is a clear sexual dimorphism in circulating concentrations of leptin (females > males) at birth and in adulthood. However, whether such dimorphism is present in the interval between these periods of development remains controversial. We examined body composition and clinical (Tanner stage) and endocrine (pituitary-gonadal axis hormones) aspects of sexual maturation in relationship to circulating concentrations of leptin in 102 children (53 males and 49 females, 6–19 yr of age) to evaluate the relationship between circulating leptin concentrations and body composition before and during puberty.

Pubertal stage was assigned by physical examination (Tanner staging) and also assessed by measurement of plasma estradiol, testosterone, and pituitary gonadotropins. Body composition was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and by anthropometry. Circulating concentrations of leptin in the postabsorptive state were determined by a solid-phase sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The effect of gender on the relationship between circulating leptin concentrations and FM was determined by ANOVA at each Tanner stage. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses, including circulating concentrations of pituitary-gonadal axis hormones, and FM were performed, by gender, to determine whether the relationship between circulating concentrations of leptin and FM changes during puberty.

Plasma leptin concentrations were significantly correlated with FM at all Tanner stages in males and females. Plasma leptin concentrations, normalized to FM, were significantly higher in females than males at Tanner stages IV and V but not at earlier stages of pubertal development. Plasma leptin concentrations, normalized to FM, were significantly greater in females at Tanner stage V compared with females at Tanner stage I and significantly lower in males at Tanner stage IV and V compared with males at Tanner stage I. These significant gender and maturational differences were confirmed by demonstrating that the regression equation relating circulating leptin concentrations to FM in females and males at Tanner stages IV and V were significantly different (predicted lower leptin concentrations in males than females with identical body composition) and that the regression equations relating circulating concentrations of leptin to FM in each gender before puberty (Tanner stage I) were significantly different (predicted higher plasma concentrations of leptin in prepubertal males and lower leptin concentrations in prepubertal females) than the same regression equations in later puberty. Circulating concentrations of testosterone were significant negative correlates of circulating concentrations of leptin normalized to FM in males when considered as a group over all pubertal stages. The inclusion in multivariate regression analyses of circulating concentrations of testosterone and estradiol, FM, fat-free mass, and gender did not eliminate a significant gender-effect (P < 0.05) on circulating concentrations of leptin at Tanner stages IV and V.

The circulating concentration of leptin, normalized to FM, declines significantly in males and rises significantly in females late in puberty to produce a late-pubertal/adult sexual dimorphism. These studies confirm a potent role for gonadal steroids as mediators of this sexual dimorphism in circulating concentrations of leptin. The persistence of a significant gender-effect on circulating leptin concentrations at Tanner stages IV and V, even when the regression equation includes body composition and circulating concentrations of gonadal steroids, however, suggests that this sexual dimorphism also reflects the direct or interactive effects of either other sex-related metabolic variables (such as insulin, GH, or body fat distribution) or additional X or Y- chromosome-linked gene effects that produce an increasing sexual dimorphism of circulating leptin concentrations later in puberty.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
M. E. Trujillo and P. E. Scherer
Adipose Tissue-Derived Factors: Impact on Health and Disease
Endocr. Rev., December 1, 2006; 27(7): 762 - 778.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
K.-C. Leung, G. Johannsson, G. M. Leong, and K. K. Y. Ho
Estrogen Regulation of Growth Hormone Action
Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2004; 25(5): 693 - 721.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
M. Hakanen, T. Ronnemaa, S. Talvia, L. Rask-Nissila, M. Koulu, J. Viikari, M. Bergendahl, and O. Simell
Serum Leptin Concentration Poorly Reflects Growth and Energy and Nutrient Intake in Young Children
Pediatrics, May 1, 2004; 113(5): 1273 - 1278.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
M. E. Wilson, J. Fisher, K. Chikazawa, R. Yoda, A. Legendre, D. Mook, and K. G. Gould
Leptin Administration Increases Nocturnal Concentrations of Luteinizing Hormone and Growth Hormone in Juvenile Female Rhesus Monkeys
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2003; 88(10): 4874 - 4883.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
P. Koutkia, B. Canavan, M. L. Johnson, A. DePaoli, and S. Grinspoon
Characterization of leptin pulse dynamics and relationship to fat mass, growth hormone, cortisol, and insulin
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, August 1, 2003; 285(2): E372 - E379.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Adv. Physiol. Educ.Home page
V. T. K. Chow and M. C. Phoon
MEASUREMENT OF SERUM LEPTIN CONCENTRATIONS IN UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES BY COMPETITIVE ELISA REVEALS CORRELATIONS WITH BODY MASS INDEX AND SEX
Advan Physiol Educ, June 1, 2003; 27(2): 70 - 77.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
J. N. Roemmich, P. A. Clark, C. S. Mantzoros, C. M. Gurgol, A. Weltman, and A. D. Rogol
Relationship of Leptin to Bone Mineralization in Children and Adolescents
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2003; 88(2): 599 - 604.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
T. W. Geary, E. L. McFadin, M. D. MacNeil, E. E. Grings, R. E. Short, R. N. Funston, and D. H. Keisler
Leptin as a predictor of carcass composition in beef cattle
J Anim Sci, January 1, 2003; 81(1): 1 - 8.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
J. Kratzsch, A. Lammert, A. Bottner, B. Seidel, G. Mueller, J. Thiery, J. Hebebrand, and W. Kiess
Circulating Soluble Leptin Receptor and Free Leptin Index during Childhood, Puberty, and Adolescence
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2002; 87(10): 4587 - 4594.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
E. Charmandari, M. Weise, S. R. Bornstein, G. Eisenhofer, M. F. Keil, G. P. Chrousos, and D. P. Merke
Children with Classic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Have Elevated Serum Leptin Concentrations and Insulin Resistance: Potential Clinical Implications
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2002; 87(5): 2114 - 2120.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
P. Marzullo, C. Buckway, K. L. Pratt, A. Colao, J. Guevara-Aguirre, and R. G. Rosenfeld
Leptin Concentrations in GH Deficiency: The Effect of GH Insensitivity
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2002; 87(2): 540 - 545.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
A. J. O'Sullivan, A. Martin, and M. A. Brown
Efficient Fat Storage in Premenopausal Women and in Early Pregnancy: A Role for Estrogen
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2001; 86(10): 4951 - 4956.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
L. Ghizzoni, G. Mastorakos, M. Ziveri, M. Furlini, A. Solazzi, A. Vottero, and S. Bernasconi
Interactions of Leptin and Thyrotropin 24-Hour Secretory Profiles in Short Normal Children
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2001; 86(5): 2065 - 2072.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society