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Gonadotrophin and growth hormone secretion throughout puberty
H A Delemarre-Van De Waal1, J M Wennink, R J Odink
1Department of Paediatrics, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Pubertal development in children involves significant changes in hormone secretion. Luteinizing hormone (LH) and growth hormone (GH) levels increase with puberty, influenced by sex steroids.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Reproductive Biology
- Growth Hormone Physiology
Background:
- Hormonal changes during puberty are crucial for development.
- Understanding gonadotropin and growth hormone (GH) secretion patterns is key to assessing pubertal progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the secretion patterns of gonadotrophins and GH in healthy children across different pubertal stages.
- To correlate hormonal changes with pubertal development and sex steroid levels.
Main Methods:
- Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), GH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone were measured.
- Hormone assays included immunoradiometric assays for LH and GH, with hourly measurements for FSH and testosterone.
- Sampling occurred at 10-minute intervals during specific daytime and nighttime periods.
Main Results:
- LH was undetectable in prepubertal children, detectable only at night in early pubertal stages (Stage 1), and increased in frequency and amplitude with pubertal progression.
- FSH secretion increased during day and night from Stage 2 onwards.
- GH secretion increased with puberty, primarily due to enhanced pulse amplitude, linked to sex steroid changes rather than LH.
Conclusions:
- Hormonal secretion patterns of LH, FSH, and GH change significantly with pubertal development in children.
- The study highlights the distinct temporal patterns and regulatory influences of these hormones during puberty.
Abstract:
The secretion patterns of gonadotrophin and growth hormone (GH) were investigated in normal healthy children at different stages of pubertal development. The plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and GH were measured at 10-minute intervals from 12.00 h to 18.00 h and from 24.00 h to 06.00 h using immunoradiometric assays. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were measured hourly. In young prepubertal girls and boys LH was undetectable during the day or night. In children of pubertal chronological age, in whom secondary sexual characteristics had not appeared (stage 1 onset), LH was detectable during the night only. With the progression of puberty there was a gradual increase in the secretion of LH, resulting from increases in both the frequency and amplitude of LH pulses. There was a clear increase in the secretion of FSH during day and night from stage 2 onwards. The secretion of GH also increased with the progression of puberty, due to an increase in pulse amplitude. The increase in GH secretion did not appear to be related to the increase in LH secretion, but rather to changes in the sex steroids.