Uroguanylin is a 16 amino acid peptide that constitutes a key component of the gut- brain axis with special relevance in body weight regulation. In childhood and adolescence, periods of life with notable metabolic changes; limited data exist, with measurements of pro-uroguanylin in adolescence but not in prepubertal children. This study investigates pro-uroguanylin circulating levels in children with obesity and its relationship with obesity, sex and pubertal development. We analyzed circulating prouroguanylin levels in 117 children (62) and adolescents (55), including 73 with obesity and 44 with normal weight. The pro-uroguanylin concentration is higher in lean girls during pre-puberty versus lean boys (1111 vs 635, p < 0.001). During puberty, pro-uroguanylin levels are higher in lean males with respect to lean females (1060 vs 698, p < 0.01). In girls, a negative correlation exists between pro-uroguanylin and age, Tanner stage, weight, height, BMI (body mass index), waist circumference and plasma levels of leptin and testosterone; a positive correlation was found between pro-uroguanylin and free triiodothyronine. In boys, a positive correlation was found between pro-uroguanylin and BMI and waist circumference and a negative correlation was found with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. We conclude that a sexual dimorphism exists in circulating pro-uroguanylin levels with respect to BMI. Uroguanylin presents also an opposed circulating pattern during puberty in both sexes.

中文翻译：

---

儿童中尿泌尿素的循环水平及其与肥胖，性别和青春期的关系。

尿鸟苷蛋白是16个氨基酸的肽，构成肠脑轴的关键成分，与体重调节特别相关。在儿童期和青春期，生命周期发生明显的新陈代谢变化；仅有的数据很少，青春期前尿鸟苷的测定值，而青春期前儿童则没有。这项研究调查了肥胖儿童中尿鸟苷素的循环水平及其与肥胖，性别和青春期发育的关系。我们分析了117名儿童（62名）和青少年（55名）的循环原尿鸟苷水平，其中73名肥胖，44名体重正常。青春期前瘦女孩中的尿鸟苷原浓度高于瘦男孩（1111 vs 635，p <0.001）。在青春期，瘦男性的尿鸟苷原水平高于瘦女性（1060 vs 698，p <0。01）。在女孩中，尿鸟苷素与年龄，Tanner分期，体重，身高，BMI（体重指数），腰围以及瘦素和睾丸激素的血浆含量之间呈负相关；尿鸟苷原与游离三碘甲状腺素之间呈正相关。在男孩中，尿鸟苷原和BMI与腰围之间呈正相关，与高密度脂蛋白胆固醇呈负相关。我们得出的结论是，就BMI而言，循环尿泌尿素原水平存在性二态性。尿鸟嘌呤在男性和女性的青春期也呈现出相反的循环模式。尿鸟苷原与游离三碘甲状腺素之间呈正相关。在男孩中，尿鸟苷原和BMI与腰围之间呈正相关，与高密度脂蛋白胆固醇呈负相关。我们得出的结论是，就BMI而言，循环尿泌尿素原水平存在性二态性。尿鸟嘌呤在男性和女性的青春期也呈现出相反的循环模式。尿鸟苷原与游离三碘甲状腺素之间呈正相关。在男孩中，尿鸟苷原和BMI与腰围之间呈正相关，与高密度脂蛋白胆固醇呈负相关。我们得出的结论是，就BMI而言，循环尿泌尿素原水平存在性二态性。尿鸟嘌呤在男性和女性的青春期也呈现出相反的循环模式。