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Relatively low serum leptin levels in adults born with intra-uterine growth retardation
D Jaquet1, A Gaboriau, P Czernichow
1INSERM Unit 457, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France. djacquet@infobiogen.fr
Insights
Adults born with intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) develop excess body fat and altered leptin regulation. This suggests impaired adipose tissue development may contribute to long-term metabolic issues from in-utero undernutrition.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- In-utero undernutrition significantly impacts fetal and neonatal adipose tissue development.
- Intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a key indicator of fetal undernutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate impaired adipose tissue development in adults born with IUGR.
- To examine leptin regulation in IUGR-born adults.
Main Methods:
- Serum leptin concentrations were measured in 26 adults born with IUGR and 25 controls at age 24.
- Body mass index (BMI), body fat mass, and fasting insulin levels were assessed.
Main Results:
- IUGR-born adults showed significantly higher BMI and total body fat mass compared to controls.
- Fasting insulin levels were significantly elevated in the IUGR group.
- Adjusted serum leptin levels were significantly lower in IUGR-born subjects when corrected for body fat, gender, and insulin.
Conclusions:
- Adults born with IUGR exhibit excess adipose tissue and relatively low leptin levels, indicating altered adipocyte function.
- Abnormal adipose tissue development may play a role in the long-term metabolic consequences of in-utero undernutrition.
- These findings highlight the importance of early-life nutrition on long-term metabolic health.
Background:
In-utero under-nutrition dramatically alters the development of adipose tissue, during the fetal and the neonatal period.
The Aim Of The Study:
To investigate whether adults born with intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) show evidence of impaired adipose tissue development and leptin regulation.
Design:
Serum leptin concentrations were measured in 26 healthy adults born with IUGR and 25 controls aged 24 y who have been studied previously, 3 y ago.
Results:
The IUGR group demonstrated a significant increase of body mass index (BMI) in comparison to controls between 21 and 24 y of age (4.8+/-7.7%, P=0.004 vs 0.8+/-6.7%, P=0.70). Percentage of total body fat mass was significantly higher in IUGR-born subjects than in controls (27.2+/-7.6 vs 22.0+/-7.3%, P=0.02). Fasting insulin was significantly higher in the IUGR group (7.5+/-3.8 vs 5.3+/-2.3 miccroU/ml, P=0.03). Surprisingly, crude serum leptin concentrations did not significantly differ between the two groups. Moreover, adjusted means of serum leptin levels were significantly lower in IUGR-born subjects than in controls when corrected for body fat mass, gender and fasting insulin (11.3 vs 13.8 ng/ml, P=0.02).
Summary:
Adults born with IUGR developed an excess of adipose tissue associated with relatively low serum leptin levels suggestive of an altered adipocyte function. Considering the close relationship between adipose tissue and insulin-sensitivity, these observations point to the potential implication of abnormal adipose tissue development in the long-term metabolic consequences associated with in-utero undernutrition.
