Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Inheritance of hormonal disorder marked by excessive insulin in daughters

Inheritance of hormonal disorder marked by excessive insulin in daughters

July 29, 2008

Elevated levels of insulin could be an early sign that girls whose mothers suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome -- or PCOS -- may also be susceptible to the disease, according to gynecologists who have found evidence of insulin resistance in young children.

The findings could help determine whether daughters of women suffering from PCOS are at a higher risk of developing the disease, compared to girls whose mothers do not have the disease.




Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age, and sometimes causes inability to become pregnant. Symptoms include hairiness due to excessive amounts of male hormones, irregular periods, and insulin resistance.

"We found insulin resistance in children who had entered puberty, and whose mothers had PCOS," said Richard Legro, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Penn State College of Medicine and lead author. "We did not find it in the youngest children, which suggests that the disease is triggered by puberty."

Legro and his colleagues were interested in finding out whether metabolic and reproductive abnormalities associated with the inheritable disease, are more likely to show up in children whose mothers have PCOS, and how parents could find out whether their child was at risk.

The researchers designed a study to compare 38 children -- boys and girls aged 4 to 14 -- whose mothers had PCOS with 32 children in a control group. They specifically looked for the early onset of androgen -- male hormones -- production, and production of excess insulin.

"We collected samples of saliva and urine to analyze levels of insulin and sex steroids respectively," explained Legro. "But we also looked for gonadotropins, hormones that stimulate sex steroids and provide the earliest sign of puberty."

Results from the test indicate that older girls, but not boys, of PCOS mothers had significantly higher concentrations of salivary insulin. Compared to the control group, the girls also had lower levels of urinary hormones.

According to Legro, the key finding of the study is that insulin levels appear to be elevated in daughters of PCOS mothers, which becomes more pronounced as they pass through puberty. Since the androgen levels were comparatively normal throughout puberty, and insulin resistance was only found in girls who had undergone puberty, Legro argues that insulin is the primary problem, while male hormones are a secondary problem.

"Insulin is the real culprit in terms of stimulating the ovary, more so than gonadotropins, said Legro, whose findings appeared in a recent issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and was the subject of an editorial in the same issue.

"You could argue children of PCOS mothers build up excessive insulin during puberty, which in turn contributes to reproductive abnormality," explained Legro.

However, Legro cautions that it may be too early to conclude that excessive insulin is the sole factor that makes daughters of PCOS mothers susceptible to the disease. He is also not fully sure whether hyperandrogenism -- excess of male hormones -- precedes or follows excessive levels of insulin.

Researchers say future longitudinal studies will focus only on girls and try to pin down whether an abnormal level of insulin is the sole factor that causes reproductive abnormalities.

"That is the tantalizing question," the Penn State medical researcher said. "The ultimate goal would be to find the earliest sign that makes a child more susceptible to develop PCOS. Right now the earliest sign would be an elevation in insulin levels."

Penn State



Related Insulin Current Events and Insulin News Articles Insulin Current Events and Insulin News RSS Insulin Current Events and Insulin News RSS
Pure insulin-producing cells produced in mouse
Singapore researchers have developed an unlimited number of pure insulin-producing cells from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs).

Researcher tricks immune system in diabetic mice
The body's immune system hates strangers. When its security patrol spots a foreign cell, it annihilates it.

Systems biology brings hope of speeding up drug development
Almost every day brings news of an apparent breakthrough against cancer, infectious diseases, or metabolic conditions like diabetes, but these rarely translate into effective therapies or drugs, and even if they do clinical development usually takes well over a decade.

Garlic chemical tablet treats diabetes I and II
A drug based on a chemical found in garlic can treat diabetes types I and II when taken as a tablet, a study in the new Royal Society of Chemistry journal Metallomics says.

New insight into the controls on a go-to enzyme
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have gained new insights into regulation of one of the body's enzyme workhorses called calpains.

Vitamin C lowers levels of heart disease biomarker, finds study, adds to debate of health benefits
A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, adds to the evidence that vitamin C supplements can lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a central biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes.

New hybrid plants could prompt more prodigious pepper production in Southwest
By themselves or as an ingredient in a variety of foods, including salsa, America's top-selling condiment, peppers have found a warm spot in the hearts and stomachs of U.S. consumers.

Drug mimics low-cal diet to ward off weight gain, boost running endurance
A drug designed to specifically hit a protein linked to the life-extending benefits of a meager diet can essentially trick the body into believing food is scarce even when it isn't, suggests a new report in the November Cell Metabolism.

Apelin hormone injections powerfully lower blood sugar
By injecting a hormone produced by fat and other tissues into mice, researchers report in the November Cell Metabolism that they significantly lowered blood sugar levels in normal and obese mice.

An Anti-Frailty Pill for Seniors?
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System report that a daily single oral dose of an investigational drug, MK-677, increased muscle mass in the arms and legs of healthy older adults without serious side effects, suggesting that it may prove safe and effective in reducing age-related frailty.
More Insulin Current Events and Insulin News Articles


The Insulin-Resistance Diet--Revised and Updated: How to Turn Off Your Body's Fat-Making Machine
by Cheryle Hart, Mary Kay Grossman

Conquer insulin resistance. Reduce cravings. Eat your favorite foods. And lose weight!. If you have tried every diet and are still struggling with your weight, the real culprit may be insulin resistance. When you have more glucose than your body needs, your body responds by producing more insulin to stabilize your blood sugar level and store the excess glucose as fat. In The Insulin-Resistance...



Pumping Insulin: Everything You Need For Success On A Smart Insulin Pump
by John Walsh, Ruth Roberts



The Discovery of Insulin: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition
by Michael Bliss

When insulin was discovered in the early 1920s, even jaded professionals marveled at how it brought starved, sometimes comatose diabetics back to life. In this now-classic study, Michael Bliss unearths a wealth of material, ranging from scientists’ unpublished memoirs to the confidential appraisals of insulin by members of the Nobel Committee. He also resolves a longstanding controversy dating...



Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance
by Jack Challem, Burton Berkson, Melissa Diane Smith

You can feel great again! "Syndrome X proactively lays out a nutritious, tasty, and simple diet plan to get us back to the basics of healthy nutrition."-Lendon H. Smith, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Feed Your Body Right "Syndrome X is the best new book to help you understand the facts about nutrition, health, and aging. . . . It is full of new information and insights...



Using Insulin, Everything You Need for Success With Insulin
by John Walsh, Ruth Roberts, Timothy Bailey, Chandra B. Varma



Why Fat Sticks: An Introduction To Insulin Resistance
by Guin Van Niekerk

DO YOU FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOSE WEIGHT? HAVE YOU TRIED EVERY KNOWN DIET WITH NO SUCCESS? IS YOUR HEALTH SUFFERING? YOU COULD HAVE INSULIN RESISTANCE! Insulin Resistance is COMMON - it may affect up to one in four people. If you suffer from tiredness, irritability and constant cravings for sweet foods, you could have...



Pumping Insulin: Everything You Need for Success With an Insulin Pump
by John Walsh, Ruth Roberts



The Glycemic-Load Diet Cookbook: 150 Recipes to Help You Lose Weight and Reverse Insulin Resistance
by Rob Thompson, Dana Carpender

Now you can eat up, slim down, and control insulin--with 150 easy recipes that are scientifically designed and sinfully good. . Imagine being able to lose weight while enjoying satisfying amounts of delicious food. Now, thanks to Dr. Rob Thompson's revolutionary eating plan based on the breakthrough science of the glycemic load, you can prepare fabulously filling meals that actually speed up...



Using Insulin Pumps in Diabetes: A Guide for Nurses and Other Health Professionals
by Jill Rodgers

Insulin pump therapy is now a well-established option for treating diabetes. This method of insulin delivery offers the opportunity for people with diabetes to manage their diabetes confidently and competently to achieve good glycaemic control and a better quality of life. Using Insulin Pumps in Diabetes covers all aspects of insulin pump therapy in a clear and informative style, and is an...



Running Shoes Are Cheaper Than Insulin: Marathon Adventures on All Seven Continents
by Anthony Reed, Tony Reed

This book is a collection of 25 years of stories, 295 photos, and travel logs about running marathons around the world. Fewer than 225 people have run marathons on all seven continents. To put this in perspective, over 500 people reached the summit of Mt. Everest in 2007 alone. The author joined this elite seven continents marathon group in 2007. Subsequently, his professional and athletic...

© 2008 BrightSurf.com