title: Nocturnal rise of leptin in normal prepubertal and pubertal children and in patients with perinatal stalk-transection syndrome.
abstract: We studied 24-h profiles of circulating leptin levels using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay in healthy pre- (Tanner 1) and pubertal boys and girls (Tanner 3-4) as well as in a group of patients with perinatal stalk-transection syndrome. Similar nyctohemeral rhythm in serum leptin levels were found in prepubertal (MESOR: 2.34 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; amplitude 0.32 +/- 0.1 ng/ml) and pubertal boys (MESOR 2.2 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; amplitude 0.38 +/- 0.07 ng/ml). Likewise, no differences were found between prepubertal (MESOR 6.6 +/- 1.07 ng/ml; amplitude 1.67 +/- 0.4 ng/ml) and pubertal girls (MESOR 4.05 +/- 0.5 ng/ml; amplitude 0.95 +/- 0.2 ng/ml). In contrast, higher MESOR (p < 0.002) and amplitude values (p < 0.005) were found in prepubertal and pubertal girls than in prepubertal and pubertal boys. Finally a significant nyctohemeral rhythm in serum leptin levels was found in patients with perinatal stalk-transection syndrome (MESOR: 9.3 +/- 2.3 ng/ml; amplitude 1.46 +/- 0.4 ng/ml). This data shows the existence of sexual dimorphism in the nyctohemeral rhythm in serum leptin levels that are not influenced by the pubertal stage or by pulsatile anterior pituitary hormone secretion.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pediatrics Faculty of Medicine, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, Santiago de Compostela.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pombo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera-Justiniano
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Considine
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hermida
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Galvez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barreiro
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Casanueva
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dieguez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001720:Birth Injuries; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020738:Leptin; D008297:Male; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011627:Puberty; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D010908:Pituitary Hormones, Anterior; D011506:Proteins