| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
ARTICLES |
Division of Neuroscience (H.F.U.) and Division of Reproductive Sciences (K.-Y.F.P.), Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon 97006; and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology (H.F.U.), Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon 97201
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Henryk F. Urbanski, Division of Neuroscience, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, 505 Northwest 185th Avenue, Beaverton, Oregon 97006. E-mail: urbanski{at}ohsu.edu
To help elucidate the physiological role of leptin during somatic and
sexual maturation, circulating concentrations of leptin were measured
in 36 male rhesus monkeys of ages ranging from 0–20 yr. The body
weight of these animals showed a steady increase of 
1 kg/yr during
the first decade of life and reached a plateau at approximately 13 yr.
In contrast, serum leptin concentrations showed a biphasic
developmental pattern, which was highlighted by a strong negative
correlation with body weight (r = -0.74, P <
0.001) before the onset of puberty (at 3.5 yr) and by a strong
positive correlation afterward (r = 0.77, P <
0.001). Overall, the developmental changes in serum leptin
concentrations closely mimicked the expected developmental changes in
serum testosterone concentrations (r = 0.62, P
< 0.001), which were highly elevated at birth, fell to basal levels
during the juvenile phase of development, and gradually rose again
after the initiation of puberty. However, mean serum leptin
concentrations during the peripubertal period itself (3–5 yr) were
significantly lower (P < 0.01) than those observed
during the first year of life or those observed in fully mature adults
(i.e. >7 yr) (3.5 ± 0.3, 1.4 ± 0.2, and
3.3 ± 0.6 ng/ml, respectively). These data demonstrate that the
role of leptin in energy homeostasis of primates is more than a simple
linear relationship, being highly dependent upon the developmental age.
Furthermore, the data do not support the hypothesis that leptin plays a
major role in triggering the onset of puberty in primates, although the
strong correlation between serum concentrations of leptin and
testosterone suggests that the secretion of these two hormones may be
causally linked.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  J. L Downs and H. F Urbanski Aging-related sex-dependent loss of the circulating leptin 24-h rhythm in the rhesus monkey. J. Endocrinol., July 1, 2006; 190(1): 117 - 127. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. J P Ebling The neuroendocrine timing of puberty Reproduction, June 1, 2005; 129(6): 675 - 683. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. M. Plant and M. L. Barker-Gibb Neurobiological mechanisms of puberty in higher primates Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2004; 10(1): 67 - 77. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 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]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. L. Barker-Gibb, A. Sahu, C. R. Pohl, and T. M. Plant Elevating Circulating Leptin in Prepubertal Male Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Does Not Elicit Precocious Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Release, Assessed Indirectly J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2002; 87(11): 4976 - 4983. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Lado-Abeal, J. D. Veldhuis, and R. L. Norman Glucose Relays Information Regarding Nutritional Status to the Neural Circuits That Control the Somatotropic, Corticotropic, and Gonadotropic Axes in Adult Male Rhesus Macaques Endocrinology, February 1, 2002; 143(2): 403 - 410. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Terasawa and D. L. Fernandez Neurobiological Mechanisms of the Onset of Puberty in Primates Endocr. Rev., February 1, 2001; 22(1): 111 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P E CLAYTON and J A TRUEMAN Leptin and puberty Arch. Dis. Child., July 1, 2000; 83(1): 1 - 4. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. M. Hileman, D. D. Pierroz, and J. S. Flier Leptin, Nutrition, and Reproduction: Timing Is Everything J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2000; 85(2): 804 - 807. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. J. Suter, C. R. Pohl, and M. E. Wilson Circulating Concentrations of Nocturnal Leptin, Growth Hormone, and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Increase before the Onset of Puberty in Agonadal Male Monkeys: Potential Signals for the Initiation of Puberty J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2000; 85(2): 808 - 814. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. R. Mann, M. A. Akinbami, K. G. Gould, and V. D. Castracane A Longitudinal Study of Leptin During Development in the Male Rhesus Monkey: The Effect of Body Composition and Season on Circulating Leptin Levels Biol Reprod, February 1, 2000; 62(2): 285 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D.L. Foster and S. Nagatani Physiological Perspectives on Leptin as a Regulator of Reproduction: Role in Timing Puberty Biol Reprod, February 1, 1999; 60(2): 205 - 215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Cunningham, D. K. Clifton, and R. A. Steiner Leptin's Actions on the Reproductive Axis: Perspectives and Mechanisms Biol Reprod, February 1, 1999; 60(2): 216 - 222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| 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 |
