Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Apr;95(4):1587-94. doi: 10.1210/jc.2009-2149. Epub 2010 Feb 3.
Sex steroid concentrations have a strong genetic determination, but environmental factors and body composition play an important role. From studies in children with intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight has been associated with altered gonadotropin concentrations.
We aim to investigate sex steroid concentrations in healthy young brothers in relation to birth weight (normal gestational age), body composition, and parental steroid concentrations.
We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based sibling pair study with inclusion of parental data.
A total of 677 men (25-45 yr old) were included in this study, with 296 independent pairs of brothers and 122 fathers.
We measured testosterone, estradiol, leptin, adiponectin, IGF-I (immunoassays), and free steroid hormones (calculated) in relation to birth weight and changes in body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry).
Birth weight was associated with serum testosterone (P = 0.0004) and SHBG (P = 0.0001), independent from weight, age, or fat mass, whereas no association with (free) estradiol, LH, or FSH was found. Paternal testosterone (P = 0.02), estradiol (P = 0.04), and SHBG (P = 0.0004) were associated with the respective sex steroid concentrations in the brothers. Weight increase (population rank) during life, was associated with lower testosterone (-15%; P < 0.001), independent from current weight and with higher free estradiol concentrations (+8%; P = 0.002), whereas weight decrease was associated with higher testosterone (+13%; P < 0.001).
Birth weight and paternal steroid concentrations are associated with testosterone concentrations, independent from adult weight. These findings support the concept of in utero programming across the range of birth weight.
性激素浓度具有很强的遗传决定因素，但环境因素和身体成分也起着重要作用。从宫内生长受限儿童的研究中可以看出，低出生体重与促性腺激素浓度的改变有关。
我们旨在研究健康年轻兄弟的性激素浓度与出生体重（正常胎龄）、身体成分和父母的类固醇浓度之间的关系。
我们进行了一项横断面、基于人群的同胞对研究，并纳入了父母的数据。
共有 677 名男性（25-45 岁）参与了这项研究，其中有 296 对独立的兄弟和 122 名父亲。
我们测量了与出生体重和身体成分变化（双能 X 射线吸收法）相关的睾酮、雌二醇、瘦素、脂联素、IGF-I（免疫测定）和游离类固醇激素（计算）。
出生体重与血清睾酮（P=0.0004）和 SHBG（P=0.0001）有关，与体重、年龄或脂肪量无关，而与（游离）雌二醇、LH 或 FSH 无关。父亲的睾酮（P=0.02）、雌二醇（P=0.04）和 SHBG（P=0.0004）与兄弟的相应性激素浓度有关。一生中体重的增加（人群排名）与睾酮降低（-15%；P<0.001）有关，与当前体重无关，与游离雌二醇浓度升高（+8%；P=0.002）有关，而体重减轻与睾酮升高（+13%；P<0.001）有关。
出生体重和父亲的类固醇浓度与睾酮浓度有关，与成年体重无关。这些发现支持了在出生体重范围内存在宫内编程的概念。
