Neonatal Adipocytokines and Longitudinal Patterns of Childhood Growth

Abstract

Objective Adipocytokines are markers of fetal metabolism, but their association with childhood growth is unclear. This study examined associations of neonatal adipocytokines with longitudinal childhood adiposity measures in a prospective cohort of pregnant women and their children. Methods We measured leptin and adiponectin concentrations at delivery and children’s body mass index (BMI) z-scores between ages 4 weeks and 8 years. We estimated differences in BMI z-scores and rates of BMI z-score change by leptin (N = 257) and adiponectin (N = 271) terciles. Results Children in the middle (mean difference: 0.2; 95% CI: −0.1, 0.4) and highest (0.4; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.6) leptin terciles had greater BMI z-scores than children in the lowest tercile. Associations were null after adjustment for birthweight z-score. Children in the lowest adiponectin tercile had greater gains in BMI z-score (change per year: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.13) than children in the middle (0.07; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.09) and highest terciles (0.04; 95% CI: −0.01, 0.05) (adiponectin x age interaction P < 0.001). Conclusions Lower adiponectin levels were associated with increased rates of BMI gains in the first 8 years of life. While leptin was positively associated with BMI, this association may be confounded by birthweight.

Neonatal and Adolescent Adipocytokines as Predictors of Adiposity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescence

“…In our prior work from the HOME Study, birth adiponectin and leptin were both associated with childhood BMI and adiposity development over time (11). Increased BMI and rate of weight gain in early childhood are important predictors of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in adolescence (39).…”

“…Additionally, the development of insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia in rodent offspring exposed to a high‐fat maternal diet is mediated by alterations in methylation patterns of adiponectin and leptin genes (10). In children, we and others have shown that concentrations of leptin and adiponectin at birth are associated with adiposity gains from birth through midchildhood and adolescence (11,12).…”

Mediation Analysis Supports a Causal Relationship between Maternal Hyperglycemia and Placental DNA Methylation Variations at the Leptin Gene Locus and Cord Blood Leptin Levels

“…In addition, our association between LEP DNAm and maternal hyperglycemia as a marker of childhood fat distribution seemed to be independent of neonatal leptinemia. Interestingly, it was previously reported that neonatal leptin levels might be associated with growth trajectories and childhood BMI [48,49], but other studies showed that both lower and higher leptin levels are associated with weight gain [50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57]. Nevertheless, although the association between neonatal leptinemia and childhood growth and adiposity (e.g., weight gain, BMI, and/or obesity) has been previously reported [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58], the impacts of altered neonatal leptin levels on fat distribution during childhood still need to be clearly defined.…”

Evaluation of Serum Leptin Level in Males with Elevated Blood Pressure

“…Until 1994 adipose tissues considered to be an energy storing organ only in the form of lipids, but in the recent years, it has been recognized as a major endocrine organ as it is produce many hormones called adipocytokines like leptin hormone, estrogen, resistin, Adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and others (Henry et al, 2012, Buck et al, 2019.…”