Interactions of leptin and thyrotropin 24-hour secretory profiles in short normal children

Thyroid hormones and leptin have effects on similar aspects of body homeostasis, such as energy expenditure, thermogenesis, and metabolic efficiency. Thus, the cross-talk between the thyrostat and the lipostat might play a crucial role in the maintenance of body homeostasis. To investigate the relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and leptin under physiological conditions, we evaluated the pulsatility and circadian rhythmicity and time-cross-correlated the 24-h secretory patterns of leptin and TSH in 12 short normal prepubertal children (6 girls and 6 boys). In both male and female subjects, leptin was secreted in a pulsatile and circadian fashion, with a nocturnal leptin surge that was more pronounced in males than in females. Mean 24-h leptin levels and total area under the curve were significantly higher in girls than in boys. This was mainly due to the nighttime mean leptin levels and total area under the curve, which were higher than those in boys. The cross-correlated 24-h leptin and TSH levels revealed significant positive and negative correlations. The positive one, of leptin over TSH, suggests a positive feedback regulation by leptin on the HPT axis, which might play an important role in triggering the neuroendocrine response to starvation, including decreased thyroid hormone levels. The negative correlation, of TSH over leptin, could explain the compensatory changes in adipocyte metabolism, and indirectly in circulating leptin levels, in response to alterations in thyroid status. In conclusion, we suggest that under baseline physiological conditions, the HPT axis has a prevailing inhibitory effect on leptin secretion, whereas leptin has a prevailing positive effect on the HPT axis. The sexual dimorphism in leptin levels does not seem to influence in a major way the interactions between the HPT axis and leptin.