title: Evidence that insulin and androgens may participate in the regulation of serum leptin levels in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although serum leptin is principally influenced by body mass, to understand the role of insulin and androgens in the regulation of serum leptin in normal weight women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic practice in reproductive endocrinology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) of normal body weight, 8 apparently normal women with polycystic-appearing ovaries (PAO), and 21 normal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting blood levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone (T), unbound T, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin, insulin growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and leptin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparisons of measured hormones in the different groups and correlative analysis
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with PCOS had higher levels of serum luteinizing hormone, T, unbound T, DHEAS and insulin, and lower levels of IGFBP-1 compared with the normal controls, but they had similar leptin levels. Normal women with PAO had increased levels of insulin and leptin compared with controls, whereas IGFBP-1 was lower in PAO. In normal weight women with PCOS and PAO, leptin correlated positively with body weight and insulin, and negatively with IGFBP-1 and DHEAS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In normal weight patients serum leptin levels may be regulated in part by insulin. Androgens, on the other hand, may play a role in suppressing serum leptin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carmina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lobo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone