Serum leptin concentrations during the menstrual cycle in normal-weight women: effects of an oral triphasic estrogen-progestin medication

Abstract

Objective: To investigate in normal-weight premenopausal women the relationship between circulating leptin and serum gonadotropins and gonadal steroids, during both spontaneous and pharmacologically induced menstrual cycles. Design: Clinical longitudinal study. Methods: Two groups of age-matched, normal-weight premenopausal volunteer women (groups I and II) were enrolled in this study. Women in group I were free of any hormonal treatment, while women in group II were taking a triphasic estrogen-progestin contraceptive preparation. Blood samples were collected daily in both groups after an overnight fast throughout a complete menstrual cycle. Results: In the spontaneously cycling women, serum leptin concentration positively correlated with estradiol (P < 0.03) and progesterone (P < 0.05) and was higher in the luteal than in the follicular phase (P < 0.05). However, a significant (P < 0.03) short-lasting increase in circulating leptin was present in the late follicular phase of all subjects. In the women using hormonal contraception serum leptin remained unchanged throughout the cycle, along with constantly low values of circulating luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Conclusions: In normal-weight premenopausal women serum leptin concentrations differ during the menstrual cycle in line with changes in gonadotropin and gonadal steroid concentrations, increasing in the luteal phase of the cycle after a peri-ovulatory peak. These findings suggest a permissive role for leptin with regard to the functioning of the corpus luteum.

Leptin expression in proliferative, secretory and hyperplastic endometrial tissues

“…This variable expression of the receptor is in accordance with leptin expression shown in our study. Serum leptin concentration was found to be well correlated with serum estradiol levels in a study searching for fluctation of leptin during a normal menstrual period (14). When the results of this study, which show that serum leptin increases at late proliferation and reaches a peak level at periovulatory phase are compared with our results, we can state that estradiol may act upon endometrial leptin expression and leptin may collaborate with estradiol to affect the endometrium.…”

Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein as a novel prognostic factor in obese breast cancer patients

“…1 Serum levels of A-FABP and leptin of all breast cancer patients related to tumor characteristics premenopausal than postmenopausal women. In addition, in premenopausal women the state of menstrual cycle should be considered while collecting blood samples, because published data propose that the luteal phase shows higher leptin levels [41][42][43]. This could possibly pose a limitation in our study, but as the sample collection was conducted randomly to menstrual cycle, we, therefore, suggest that the day of the menstrual cycle is averaged within the subgroups.…”

Human leptin: from an adipocyte hormone to an endocrine mediator

“…changes in leptin are associated with changes in sex hormones, namely with progesterone (108,110,111), oestrogens (68, 69, 111) and LH (112,113). It is important to be aware of this variation when studying leptin levels in women, in order to measure leptin at the same moment of the cycle.…”