Treatment of normal women with oestradiol plus progesterone prevents the decrease of leptin concentrations induced by ovariectomy

Abstract

To study the role of oestradiol and progesterone in the secretion of leptin, 21 normally ovulating women were recruited from those scheduled for ovariectomy plus hysterectomy performed in mid-follicular phase of the cycle. Seven of the women were used as controls and received no hormonal treatment post-operatively. Another seven women received oestradiol (oestradiol group) and the remaining seven women received oestradiol plus progesterone (oestradiol plus progesterone group). Serum leptin values showed a temporal but significant increase 24 h after the operation and were significantly correlated with the cortisol and progesterone values, which increased temporarily at 12 h. At that time a marked decline in oestradiol concentrations was seen. After the temporal increase, leptin values in the controls and the oestradiol group decreased significantly up to day 4 (P: < 0.05), while in the oestradiol plus progesterone group they increased (P: < 0.01) and were significantly higher than in the other two groups (P: < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) was the most important variable accounting for the changes in leptin values post-operatively, but in the oestradiol plus progesterone group progesterone correlated significantly with leptin independently of BMI. These results suggest that progesterone and cortisol can stimulate leptin secretion in women regardless of oestradiol concentrations.

Leptin Levels in Children and Adults with Classic Galactosaemia

“…Therefore, our findings do not rule out partial leptin deficiency in galactosaemic women who do not use HRT, or an individual susceptibility to low leptin levels that may act as a 'second hit'. It has been shown, for example, that leptin serum levels declined in women who underwent bilateral ovariectomy for benign reasons and that treatment with oestrogen and progesterone prevented a decrease in leptin concentrations (Messinis et al 2000).…”

A Trivariate Weibull Model for Oestradiol Plus Progestrone Treatment Increases Serum Leptin Concentrations in Normal Premenopasual Women

“…Although these studies suggest that ovarian steroids may play a role in leptin secretion in humans no direct evidence has been provided as yet. A significant decrease in serum leptin concentration was found following bilateral ovariectomy in normal women [10], and although treatment with oestradiol was without any effect, the addition of progesterone prevented this decrease, suggesting that progesterone plays an important role in the control of leptin secretion [11]. A hypothesis was developed from these results that the increase in leptin concentration during the second half of the menstrual cycle may be related to changes in the steroidal milieu during the periovulatory period and the luteal phase.…”

Action of Leptin on Bone and Its Relationship to Menopause

“…Messinis et al studied leptin levels in ovariectomized normal women treated with estradiol plus progesterone 60 . They found that HRT prevented the ovariectomy -induced decrease in lep-198 M. Petzel tin levels 59,61 . On the other hand administration of HRT to ovariectomized women starting 15 days after surgery did not modify leptin levels 62 .…”