Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Leptin levels as function of age, gender, auxological and hormonal parameters in 202 healthy neonates at birth and during the first month of life

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Leptin signals to the brain energy stores and balance while integrating neuroendocrine functions. Leptin levels in adults are higher in females than in males, while a gender-related difference in newborns is controversial. To clarify this point, in 202 healthy neonates we measured dynamic changes in leptin levels over the first month of life and looked for correlation between leptin levels and auxological and hormonal parameters. Cord leptin concentration in females was higher (p< 0.001) than in males. IGF-I, IGF-II, insulin, testosterone and 17β-estradiol levels were similar in both sexes while insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGF-BP3) levels in females were slightly higher than in males. Leptin levels were positively associated to body weight, gestational age, IGF-BP3 levels, insulin levels and maternal body mass index (BMI) at time of delivery. In a subset of subjects (no.= 65), in comparison with cord levels, serum leptin levels were decreased on the 5th day of life (p<0.0001) and then increased at 1 month (p<0.0001). Positive association between leptin and weight was lost on the 5th day of life but present again at 1 month. In conclusion, our findings in a large population of neonates definitely show that leptin levels at birth are functions of gender, body weight and gestational age but not of length, cranial circumference, IGF-I and IGF-II levels. These findings, coupled with weight-independent prompt decrease after birth followed by weight-dependent increase at one month of life, suggest that leptin secretion in neonates as well as in adults mainly signals the nutritional state to the brain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lonnqvist F, Arner P, Nordfors L, Schalling M. Overexpression of the obese (ob) gene in adipose tissue of human obese subjects. Nat Med 1995, 1: 950–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Mantzoros CS, Moschos SJ. Leptin: in search of role(s) in human physiology and pathophysiology. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1998, 49: 551–67.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wauters M, Considine RV, Van Gaal LF. Human leptin: from an adipocyte hormone to an endocrine mediator. Eur J Endocrinol 2000, 143: 293–311.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ahima RS, Prabakaran D, Mantzoros C, et al. Role of leptin in the neuroendocrine response to fasting. Nature 1996, 382: 250–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Yu WH, Kimura M, Walczewska A, Karanth S, McCann SM. Role of leptin in hypothalamic-pituitary function. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 1997, 94: 1023–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Considine RV, Sinha MK, Heiman ML, et al. Serum immunoreactive-leptin concentrations in normal-weight and obese humans. N Engl J Med 1996, 334: 292–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Maccario M, Aimaretti G, Corneli G, et al. Short-term fasting abolishes the sex-related difference in GH and leptin secretion in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000, 279: 411–6.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mantzoros CS. Obesity, eating disorders and restrained eating: is leptin the missing link? Mol Psychiatry 1997, 2: 377–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Patel BK, Koenig JI, Kaplan LM, Hooi SC. Increase in plasma leptin and Lep mRNA concentrations by food intake is dependent on insulin. Metabolism 1998, 47: 603–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kolaczynski JW, Nyce MR, Considine RV, et al. Acute and chronic effects of insulin on leptin production in humans: Studies in vivo and in vitro. Diabetes 1996, 45: 699–701.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Boden G, Chen X, Kolaczynski JW, Polansky M. Effects of prolonged hyperinsulinemia on serum leptin in normal human subjects. J Clin Invest 1997, 100: 1107–13.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Miell JP, Englaro P, Blum WF. Dexamethasone induces an acute and sustained rise in circulating leptin levels in normal human subjects. Horm Metab Res 1996, 28: 704–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Giacobino JP. Role of the beta3-adrenoceptor in the control of leptin expression. Horm Metab Res 1996, 28: 633–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Carro E, Senaris R, Considine RV, Casanueva FF, Dieguez C. Regulation of in vivo growth hormone secretion by leptin. Endocrinology 1997, 138: 2203–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Blum WF, Englaro P, Hanitsch S, et al. Plasma leptin levels in healthy children and adolescents: dependence on body mass index, body fat mass, gender, pubertal stage, and testosterone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 2904–10.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Saad MF, Damani S, Gingerich RL, et al. Sexual dimorphism in plasma leptin concentration. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 579–84.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Mannucci E, Ognibene A, Becorpi A, et al. Relationship between leptin and oestrogens in healthy women. Eur J Endocrinol 1998, 139: 198–201.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Behre HM, Simoni M, Nieschlag E. Strong association between serum levels of leptin and testosterone in men. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1997, 47: 237–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Garcia-Mayor RV, Andrade MA, Rios M, Lage M, Dieguez C, Casanueva FF. Serum leptin levels in normal children: relationship to age, gender, body mass index, pituitarygonadal hormones, and pubertal stage. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 2849–55.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Maffeis C, Moghetti P, Vettor R, Lombardi AM, Vecchini S, Tato L. Leptin concentration in newborns’ cord blood: relationship to gender and growth-regulating hormones. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1999, 23: 943–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kiess W, Siebler T, Englaro P, et al. Leptin as a metabolic regulator during fetal and neonatal life and in childhood and adolescence. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 1998, 11: 483–96.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Tome MA, Lage M, Camina JP, Garcia-Mayor RV, Dieguez C, Casanueva FF. Sex-based differences in serum leptin concentrations from umbilical cord blood at delivery. Eur J Endocrinol 1997, 137: 655–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Shekhawat PS, Garland JS, Shivpuri C, et al. Neonatal cord blood leptin: its relationship to birth weight, body mass index, maternal diabetes, and steroids. Pediatr Res 1998, 43: 338–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Vatten LJ, Nilsen ST, Odegard RA, Romundstad PR, Austgulen R. Insulin-like growth factor I and leptin in umbilical cord plasma and infant birth size at term. Pediatrics 2002, 109: 1131–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Koistinen HA, Koivisto VA, Andersson S, et al. Leptin concentration in cord blood correlates with intrauterine growth. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 3328–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Schubring C, Kiess W, Englaro P, et al. Levels of leptin in maternal serum, amniotic fluid, and arterial and venous cord blood: relation to neonatal and placental weight. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997, 82: 1480–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Kirel B, Tekin N, Tekin B, Kilic FS, Dogruel N, Aydogdu SD. Cord blood leptin levels: relationship to body weight, body mass index, sex and insulin and cortisol levels of maternal-newborn pairs at delivery. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2000, 13: 71–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Gluckman PD, Grumbach MM, Kaplan SL. The neuroendocrine regulation and function of growth hormone and prolactin in the mammalian fetus. Endocr Rev 1981, 2: 363–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Gluckman PD. The endocrine regulation of fetal growth in late gestation. The role of insulin-like growth factors. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995, 80: 1047–50.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kristensen K, Pedersen SB, Richelsen B. Regulation of leptin by steroid hormones in rat adipose tissue. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1999, 259: 624–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Shimizu H, Shimomura Y, Nakanishi Y, et al. Estrogen increases in vivo leptin production in rats and human subjects. J Endocrinol 1997, 154: 285–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Wabitsch M, Blum WF, Muche R, et al. Contribution of androgens to the gender difference in leptin production in obese children and adolescents. J Clin Invest 1997, 100: 808–13.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Helland IB, Reseland JE, Saugstad OD, Drevon CA. Leptin levels in pregnant women and newborn infants: gender differences and reduction during the neonatal period. Pediatrics 1998, 101: E12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Tritos N, Mantzoros CS. Leptin: its role in obesity and beyond. Diabetologia 1997, 40: 1371–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Saad MF, Riad Gabriel MG, Khan A, et al. Diurnal and ultradiurnal rhytmicity of plasma leptin: effects of gender and adiposity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998, 83: 453–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Havel PJ, Kasim-Karakas S, Dubuc GR, Mueller W, Phinney SD. Gender differences in plasma leptin concentrations. Nat Med 1996, 2: 949–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Wauters M, Mertens I, Considine R, Leeuw ID, Van Gaal. Are leptin levels dependent on body fat distribution in obese men and women? Eat Weight Disord 1998, 3: 124–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Hassink SG, de Lancey E, Sheslow DV, et al. Placental leptin: an important new growth factor in intrauterine and neonatal development? Pediatrics 1997, 100, E1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Schubring C, Siebler T, Kratzsch J, et al. Leptin serum concentrations in healthy neonates within the first week of life: relation to insulin and growth hormone levels, skinfold thickness, body mass index and weight. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1999, 51: 199–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Christou H, Connors JM, Ziotopoulou M, et al. Cord blood leptin and insulin-like growth factor levels are independent predictors of fetal growth. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001, 86: 935–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Senaris R, Garcia-Caballero T, Casabiell X, et al. Synthesis of leptin in human placenta. Endocrinology 1997, 138: 4501–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Pediatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, “A.Avogadro”, Corso Mazzini 18, 28100, Novara, Italy

    S. Bellone, A. Rapa, A. Petri, A. Zavallone, L. Strigini, E. Chiorboli, A. Aguzzi & G. Bona MD

  2. Laboratory analysis, Maggiore Hospital, Novara, Italy

    L. Ciardi

Authors
  1. S. Bellone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Rapa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Petri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Zavallone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. L. Strigini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Chiorboli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. L. Ciardi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Aguzzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. G. Bona MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Bona MD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bellone, S., Rapa, A., Petri, A. et al. Leptin levels as function of age, gender, auxological and hormonal parameters in 202 healthy neonates at birth and during the first month of life. J Endocrinol Invest 27, 18–23 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350905

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350905

Key-words

Search

Navigation