Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics (Jun 2024)

Kisspeptin and DLK1 levels for monitoring treatment of girls with central precocious puberty

  • Witchuwan Onsoi,
  • Nattakarn Numsriskulrat,
  • Suphab Aroonparkmongkol,
  • Vichit Supornsilchai,
  • Khomsak Srilanchakon

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2023.01361
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 67, no. 6
pp. 296 – 302

Abstract

Read online

Background Kisspeptin and delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1) are neuropeptides that reportedly play an important role in pubertal timing by activating and inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, respectively. Consequently, serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels may be novel biomarkers for differentiating between central precocious puberty (CPP) and premature thelarche (PT) in girls and used to monitor CPP treatment. Purpose To compare baseline serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels in girls with CPP at diagnosis and after treatment to age-matched girls with PT. Methods This prospective longitudinal study included girls with precocious puberty and girls with PT who experienced breast development before 8 years of age and peak luteinizing hormone levels of ≥6 versus <6 IU/L after a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. Serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels were determined in both groups at baseline and after 6 months of GnRH analog treatment in the CPP group and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The study divided a total of 48 girls into CPP (n=24; mean age, 7.7±0.7 years) and PT (n=24; mean age, 7.4±0.8 years) groups. The baseline median serum kisspeptin levels were 50.5 pg/mL (range, 38.2–77 pg/mL) and 49.5 pg/mL (range, 39.7–67.6 pg/mL), respectively (P=0.89), while the baseline median serum DLK1 levels were 6.5 ng/mL (range, 5.9–7.5 ng/mL) and 6 ng/mL (4.4–14.4 ng/mL), respectively (P=0.68). After 6 months of GnRH analog treatment in the CPP group, the median serum kisspeptin level was lower (46.4 ng/mL; range, 37.1–60 ng/mL) than that at baseline (P=0.002), while the median serum DLK1 level was higher (7 ng/mL; range, 6.7–8.9) than that at baseline (P=0.002). Conclusion Our findings suggest that baseline serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels are not reliable biomarkers for differentiating between CPP and PT. However, significant changes in serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels may be used to monitor CPP treatment.

Keywords