Abstract
Obese subjects exhibit a marked decrease in plasma growth hormone (GH) levels. However, the mechanisms by which increased adiposity leads to an impairment of GH secretion are poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that the adipose tissue can markedly influence GH secretion via two different signals, namely free fatty acids (FFA) and leptin. FFA appear to inhibit GH secretion mainly by acting directly at pituitary level. Interestingly, reduction in circulating FFA levels in obese subjects led to a marked increase in GH responses to different GH secretagogues. This indicates that FFA exert a tonic inhibitory effect that contributes to blunted GH secretion in obese subjects. Recent data have shown that leptin is a metabolic signal that regulates GH secretion, since the administration of leptin antiserum to adult rats led to a marked decrease in spontaneous GH secretion. However, leptin prevents,the inhibitory effect exerted by fasting on plasma GH levels. The effect of leptin in adult rats appears to be exerted at hypothalamic level by regulating growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), somatostatin and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-producing neurones. In addition, during fetal life or following the development of pituitary tumors, leptin can also act directly at the anterior pituitary.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dieguez, C., Carro, E., Seoane, L. et al. Regulation of somatotroph cell function by the adipose tissue. Int J Obes 24 (Suppl 2), S100–S103 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801290
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801290
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Obese adolescents exhibit a constant ratio of GH isoforms after whole body vibration and maximal voluntary contractions
BMC Endocrine Disorders (2018)
-
Association between a polymorphic poly-T repeat sequence in the promoter of the somatostatin gene and hypertension
Hypertension Research (2016)
-
Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated with Sarcopenia and Decreased Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1
Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2016)
-
Ageing, growth hormone and physical performance
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation (2003)
-
Effects of 36 hour fasting on GH/IGF-I axis and metabolic parameters in patients with simple obesity. Comparison with normal subjects and hypopituitary patients with severe GH deficiency
International Journal of Obesity (2001)