Implications of gastrointestinal hormones in the pathogenesis of obesity in prepubertal children.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

There is a worsening high prevalence of global obesity. Special attention has been paid to the gut-endocrine system, represented by the regulators of appetite. In particular, it has been suggested that ghrelin ("hunger" peptide), and obestatin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) ("satiety" peptides) could play important roles in the pathogenesis of obesity.

OBJECTIVES:

The aims of this study were to compare fasting plasma ghrelin, obestatin, and GLP-1 levels between obese and nonobese prepubertal children, and to assess their relations with fatness indexes and insulin resistance (IR).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

Fifty-two prepubertal obese children and 22 controls were enrolled. Fasting levels of gastrointestinal hormones (ghrelin, obestatin, and GLP-1), glucose, and insulin were evaluated. IR was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) index. Analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation.

RESULTS:

Obese prepubertal children and normal-weight controls had similar age distribution. Obese children were more insulin resistant when compared to controls (HOMA-IR: p < 0.01 ). GLP-1 levels were significantly lower in obese children than in controls (p < 0.01). Obestatin was significantly higher in obese than normal-weight children (p < 0.01), while ghrelin was not different. There was a negative correlation between GLP-1 and standard deviation score-body mass index (r = -0.36, p = 0.009) and between GLP-1 and waist circumference (r = -0.45, p = 0.001), while no association was observed with HOMA-IR.

CONCLUSIONS:

GLP-1 levels have been shown to be correlated with adiposity indexes, but not with HOMA-IR, suggesting that this hormone could play an important role in the early development of obesity.

• Authors: Cinzia Bascietto, Cosimo Giannini, Ebe D'Adamo, Tommaso de Giorgis, Francesco Chiarelli, Angelika Mohn
• Journal: Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM (J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab) Vol. 25 Issue 3-4 Pg. 255-60 ( 2012) ISSN: 0334-018X [Print] Germany
• PMID: 22768653 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Gastrointestinal Hormones
• Ghrelin
• Incretins
• Insulin
• Leptin
• obestatin, human
• Glucagon-Like Peptide 1

Topics

• Adiposity
• Blood Glucose (analysis)
• Body Mass Index
• Case-Control Studies
• Child
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Hormones (adverse effects)
• Ghrelin (adverse effects)
• Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Incretins (adverse effects)
• Insulin (blood)
• Insulin Resistance
• Leptin (blood)
• Male
• Obesity (etiology, pathology)
• Waist Circumference