Sexual dimorphisms are responsible for profound metabolic differences in health and behavior. Whether males and females react differently to environmental cues, such as solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure, is unknown. Here we show that solar exposure induces food-seeking behavior, food intake, and food-seeking behavior and food intake in men, but not in women, through epidemiological evidence of approximately 3,000 individuals throughout the year. In mice, UVB exposure leads to increased food-seeking behavior, food intake and weight gain, with a sexual dimorphism towards males. In both mice and human males, increased appetite is correlated with elevated levels of circulating ghrelin. Specifically, UVB irradiation leads to p53 transcriptional activation of ghrelin in skin adipocytes, while a conditional p53-knockout in mice abolishes UVB-induced ghrelin expression and food-seeking behavior. In females, estrogen interferes with the p53–chromatin interaction on the ghrelin promoter, thus blocking ghrelin and food-seeking behavior in response to UVB exposure. These results identify the skin as a major mediator of energy homeostasis and may lead to therapeutic opportunities for sex-based treatments of endocrine-related diseases.

Highlights d UVB exposure increases circulating sex-steroid levels in mice and humans d UVB exposure enhances female attractiveness and receptiveness toward males d UVB exposure increases females' estrus phase, HPG axis hormones, and follicle growth d Skin p53 regulates UVB-induced sexual behavior and ovarian physiological changes

Objective: This report describes a new observation of hyperglycemia in a child with Type 1 diabetes after off-label use of otic ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone drops in the nasal passage and reviews previous reports of adverse endocrine effects from intranasal corticosteroids in pediatric patients. Methods: We describe the clinical case and conducted a literature review of MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE. Results: A 9-month-old female with a history of Type 1 diabetes who underwent unilateral choanal atresia repair was started on 1 week of ciprofloxacin 0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1% otic drops twice a day for choanal obstruction with granulation tissue. While the patient’s airway patency improved, average daily blood glucose increases by 40 to 50 points were noted on the patient’s continuous glucose monitor. The hyperglycemia resolved within 2 days after switching to mometasone furoate 0.05% spray. We also review 21 pediatric otolaryngology cases of iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome associated with on- and off-label use of topical steroid suspensions in the airway. Patients ranged from 3 months to 16 years in age and used doses of 50 μg/day to 2 mg/day. Conclusion: This is the first reported pediatric case of increased blood glucose levels associated with intranasal steroid suspensions, to the best of our knowledge. Counseling families on precise dose administration and potential endocrine disturbances is critical when prescribing these medications for off-label use in infants and small children, particularly among patients with underlying endocrine disorders such as diabetes.