Ontogeny of leptin in human fetuses and newborns : Effect of intrauterine growth retardation on serum leptin concentrations

The aim of this study was to investigate the ontogeny of serum leptin concentrations during the second half of gestation and at birth in small for gestational age and normal fetuses and newborns. Serum leptin concentrations were measured in arterial cord blood of fetuses (n = 79) and newborns (n = 1...

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Published in:The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 1998-04, Vol.83 (4), p.1243-1246
Main Authors: JAQUET, D, LEGER, J, LEVY-MARCHAL, C, OURY, J. F, CZERNICHOW, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Case-Control Studies
Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy
Embryonic and Fetal Development - physiology
Female
Fetal Growth Retardation - blood
Gestational Age
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Infant, Newborn - blood
Leptin
Male
Medical sciences
Multivariate Analysis
Obesity - blood
Organ Size - physiology
Placentation
Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta
Proteins - metabolism
Reference Values
Sex Characteristics
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Summary:The aim of this study was to investigate the ontogeny of serum leptin concentrations during the second half of gestation and at birth in small for gestational age and normal fetuses and newborns. Serum leptin concentrations were measured in arterial cord blood of fetuses (n = 79) and newborns (n = 132), with or without intrauterine growth retardation, at 18-42 weeks gestation. Serum leptin was detectable in fetal cord blood in all subjects as early as 18 weeks gestation. Leptin levels dramatically increased after 34 weeks gestation. In newborns, serum leptin concentrations were positively correlated with body weight (P < 0.001) and body mass index (P < 0.001). Newborns with intrauterine growth retardation had significantly lower serum leptin values (P < 0.001) than those with normal growth, and leptin levels were only positively correlated with body mass index (P < 0.001). These results suggest that the development of adipose tissue and the accumulation of fat mass are the major determinants of fetal and neonatal serum leptin levels. In addition, a gender difference, with higher leptin concentrations in female fetuses, was observed during the last weeks of gestation and was confirmed at birth regardless of growth status, suggesting that a sexual dimorphism already exists in utero.
ISSN:0021-972X
1945-7197
DOI:10.1210/jc.83.4.1243