Havelock Jon C, Auchus Richard J, Rainey William E
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-9032, USA.
Semin Reprod Med. 2004 Nov;22(4):337-47. doi: 10.1055/s-2004-861550.
Adrenarche is characterized by the increase in adrenal androgen production, namely dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) that occurs around 6 years of age. These steroids are secreted by the zona reticularis (ZR) of the adrenal gland. This is associated with pubarche or the increase in androgen-dependent hair growth at the time of puberty. The increase in adrenal androgen production can be explained by the increase in the expression of DHEA-synthesizing steroidogenic enzymes in the ZR. Adrenarche is an event independent of gonadarche and is found only in humans and select nonhuman primates. Although numerous prenatal and postnatal factors are important in the onset of adrenarche, a specific adrenal cortical androgen-stimulating hormone has not been identified. Evidence also exists for a role for adrenarche in behavior, skeletal maturation, and postpubertal well-being. Adrenarche is influenced by sex and race, and some of this variation may be related to the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathways. In addition, children with premature and exaggerated adrenarche may be predisposed to certain diseases later in life.
肾上腺初现的特征是肾上腺雄激素分泌增加，即大约在6岁时出现的脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）和硫酸脱氢表雄酮（DHEAS）。这些类固醇由肾上腺的网状带（ZR）分泌。这与青春期阴毛初现或雄激素依赖性毛发生长增加有关。肾上腺雄激素分泌增加可通过ZR中合成DHEA的类固醇生成酶表达增加来解释。肾上腺初现是一个独立于性腺初现的事件，仅在人类和特定的非人类灵长类动物中出现。尽管许多产前和产后因素对肾上腺初现的发生很重要，但尚未确定一种特定的肾上腺皮质雄激素刺激激素。也有证据表明肾上腺初现在行为、骨骼成熟和青春期后健康方面发挥作用。肾上腺初现受性别和种族影响，其中一些差异可能与胰岛素和胰岛素样生长因子（IGF）信号通路有关。此外，肾上腺初现过早和过度的儿童在以后的生活中可能易患某些疾病。
