Glucocorticoid Receptor Characteristics in Healthy Childrens' Leukocytes: Correlation with Gender, Weight, Age and Plasma Cortisol

Abstract

This study evaluated the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding capacity of mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) in male and female, obese and non-obese children and adolescents. Fifteen male and eleven female subjects, ages 6.3 to 21 years, approximately equally divided between obese and non-obese were included. The age distribution was equivalent among groups. Average GR binding capacity and apparent dissociation constant (Kd) did not differ significantly between the obese and non-obese groups. However, females averaged 7280 +/- 1440 GR sites/MNL, significantly more than males with 5720 +/- 1132 sites/MNL (p = 0.005). There was no significant difference in average Kd between the groups nor was there a difference in the GR characteristics with respect to subjects' age, plasma cortisol concentrations, or degree of adiposity. While in the group studied, there were no differences in MNL GR characteristics based on subjects' weight, age or plasma cortisol, female subjects' MNL averaged 27% greater GR binding capacity than males. This difference appears to be concentrated in the pubertal subgroup.