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Adipokines: A gear shift in puberty
Author(s) -
Nieuwenhuis Desirée,
PujolGualdo Natàlia,
Arnoldussen Ilse A.C.,
Kiliaan Amanda J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
obesity reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.845
H-Index - 162
eISSN - 1467-789X
pISSN - 1467-7881
DOI - 10.1111/obr.13005
Subject(s) - adipokine , adrenarche , adiponectin , leptin , medicine , endocrinology , precocious puberty , obesity , kisspeptin , biology , receptor , hormone , insulin resistance
Summary In this review, we discuss the role of adipokines in the onset of puberty in children with obesity during adrenarche and gonadarche and provide a clear and detailed overview of the biological processes of two major players, leptin and adiponectin. Adipokines, especially leptin and adiponectin, seem to induce an early onset of puberty in girls and boys with obesity by affecting the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal (HPG) axis. Moreover, adipokines and their receptors are expressed in the gonads, suggesting a role in sexual maturation and reproduction. All in all, adipokines may be a clue in understanding mechanisms underlying the onset of puberty in childhood obesity and puberty onset variability.