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Protein turnover during puberty in normal children

S A Arslanian1, S C Kalhan

  • 1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus, Children's Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.

The American Journal of Physiology
|January 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Puberty reduces protein breakdown and oxidation, with decreased insulin sensitivity impacting protein metabolism. Increased insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) may contribute to lower protein degradation during this stage.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Research
  • Protein Metabolism

Background:

  • Puberty is associated with insulin resistance.
  • The impact of pubertal insulin resistance on whole-body protein metabolism is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of protein metabolism in pubertal insulin resistance.
  • To compare whole-body leucine kinetics between prepubertal and pubertal children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a primed constant infusion of [1-13C]leucine.
  • Employed a stepwise hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp with indirect calorimetry.
  • Measured leucine flux (LRa), oxidation (LOX), and nonoxidative disposal (NOXLD) in Tanner I (prepubertal) and Tanner II-IV (pubertal) children.

Main Results:

  • Baseline leucine flux and oxidation were lower in pubertal children (Tanner II-IV) compared to prepubertal children (Tanner I).
  • Nonoxidative disposal was similar between the groups at baseline.
  • Insulin's ability to suppress leucine flux was significantly reduced in pubertal children during the clamp.
  • Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels showed inverse correlations with leucine kinetics.

Conclusions:

  • Protein degradation and oxidation decrease during puberty, while protein synthesis remains unchanged.
  • Insulin's inhibitory effect on proteolysis is diminished in pubertal children.
  • Elevated pubertal IGF-I levels may contribute to the observed decrease in protein degradation.

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