Endocrine Abstracts

The kisspeptin, the peptide product of KiSS-1 gene has recently emerged as essential gatekeeper of pubertal activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons and the reproductive axis. Mutations or targeted disruptions in the gene cause hypogonadism or premature sexual development and sterility.

Purpose: The study was undertaken to research the kisspeptin levels in healthy girls and girls with endocrine and gynaecological disorders.

Patients and methods: Serum kisspeptin levels were determined in and 69 girls (aged 7 months and 8 years) healthy, adolescent girls with menstrual disorders, girls with premature isolated thelarche, adolescent girls with dyshormonal mammary dysplasia and adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome. The concentration of kisspeptin was measured using Kisspeptin-10 (metastin) and competitive enzyme immunoassay. The SPSS 16.0 Software package was used to perform statistical analyses. Results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Data are expressed as median, P value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: The investigation shows that healthy adolescent girls had kisspeptin median levels 0.03 ng/ml. Among the girls with secondary amenorrhea and opsomenorrhea kisspeptin levels was lower 0.01 ng/ml (P=0.014). Girls with premature isolated thelarche had kisspeptin levels 0.04 ng/ml (P=0.04); girls with mastopathy (dyshormonal dysplasia) had kisspeptin levels 0.05 ng/ml (P=0.033). Serum kisspeptin levels were significantly higher in adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome than in control group (0.3 vs 0.03 ng/ml, P<0.01).

Conclusion: Kisspeptin levels is various for healthy adolescent girls, for girls with menstrual disorders, mastopathy, isolated thelarche, with polycystic ovary syndrome. In this study, we demonstrated that serum kisspeptin level was significantly lower in girls with amenorrhea and opsomenorrhea and higher in girls with premature thelarche, mastopathy and polycystic ovary syndrome. Serum kisspeptin may be used as a marker of sexual disorders, mammary diseases and polycystic ovary syndrome in girls.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.