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Rasic-Markovic A, Djuric E, Skrijelj D, Bjekic-Macut J, Ignjatovic Đ, Sutulovic N, Hrncic D, Mladenovic D, Marković A, Radenković S, Radić L, Radunovic N, Stanojlovic O. Neuroactive steroids in the neuroendocrine control of food intake, metabolism, and reproduction. Endocrine 2024:10.1007/s12020-024-03755-x. [PMID: 38635064 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03755-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Neuroactive steroids are a type of steroid hormones produced within the nervous system or in peripheral glands and then transported to the brain to exert their neuromodulatory effects. Neuroactive steroids have pleiotropic effects, that include promoting myelination, neuroplasticity, and brain development. They also regulate important physiological functions, such as metabolism, feeding, reproduction, and stress response. The homoeostatic processes of metabolism and reproduction are closely linked and mutually dependent. Reproductive events, such as pregnancy, bring about significant changes in metabolism, and metabolic status may affect reproductive function in mammals. In females, the regulation of reproduction and energy balance is controlled by the fluctuations of oestradiol and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle. Neurosteroids play a key role in the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. The synthesis of neuroestradiol and neuroprogesterone within the brain is a crucial process that facilitates the release of GnRH and LH, which in turn, regulate the transition from oestrogen-negative to oestrogen-positive feedback. In addition to their function in the reproductive system, oestrogen has a key role in the regulation of energy homoeostasis by acting at central and peripheral levels. The oestrogenic effects on body weight homoeostasis are primarily mediated by oestrogen receptors-α (ERα), which are abundantly expressed in multiple brain regions that are implicated in the regulation of food intake, basal metabolism, thermogenesis, and brown tissue distribution. The tight interplay between energy balance and reproductive physiology is facilitated by shared regulatory pathways, namely POMC, NPY and kisspeptin neurons, which are targets of oestrogen regulation and likely participate in different aspects of the joint control of energy balance and reproductive function. The aim of this review is to present a summary of the progress made in uncovering shared regulatory pathways that facilitate the tight coupling between energy balance and reproductive physiology, as well as their reciprocal interactions and the modulation induced by neurosteroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Rasic-Markovic
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Emilija Djuric
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Daniel Skrijelj
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelica Bjekic-Macut
- Department of Endocrinology, UMC Bežanijska kosa, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Đurđica Ignjatovic
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nikola Sutulovic
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragan Hrncic
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dusan Mladenovic
- Institute of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Marković
- Department of Endocrinology, Internal Medicine Clinic, University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Saša Radenković
- Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Clinical Center Niš, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Lena Radić
- Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Olivera Stanojlovic
- Institute of Medical Physiology "Richard Burian", School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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González-Flores O, Pfaus JG, Luna-Hernández A, Montes-Narváez O, Domínguez-Ordóñez R, Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán MB, García-Juárez M. Estradiol and progesterone-induced lordosis behavior is modulated by both the Kisspeptin receptor and melanin-concentrating hormone in estradiol benzoate-primed rats. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105257. [PMID: 36115135 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of estradiol benzoate (E2B) and progesterone (P) induces intense lordosis behavior in ovariectomized rats primed peripherally with E2B. The present study tested the hypothesis that the Kisspeptin (Kiss) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) pathways regulate female sexual behavior induced by these steroid hormones. In Experiment 1, we tested the relevance of the Kiss pathway by ICV infusion of its inhibitor, kiss-234, before administration of E2B or P in estrogen-primed rats. Lordosis induced by E2B alone or with the addition of P was reduced significantly at 30, 120, and 240 min. In Experiment 2, ICV infusion of MCH 30 min before E2B or P significantly reduced lordosis in rats primed with E2B alone. These data support the hypothesis that the Kiss and MCH pathways, which can release or modulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), are involved in E2B- and P-induced lordosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar González-Flores
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México
| | - James G Pfaus
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Czech National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Ailyn Luna-Hernández
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México; Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Omar Montes-Narváez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México; Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Raymundo Domínguez-Ordóñez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México; Licenciatura en Ingeniería Agronómica y Zootecnia, CRC, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
| | | | - Marcos García-Juárez
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala-CINVESTAV, Tlaxcala, México.
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3
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Moeller JS, Bever SR, Finn SL, Phumsatitpong C, Browne MF, Kriegsfeld LJ. Circadian Regulation of Hormonal Timing and the Pathophysiology of Circadian Dysregulation. Compr Physiol 2022; 12:4185-4214. [PMID: 36073751 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c220018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, daily patterns of behavior and physiology that are essential for optimal health and disease prevention. Disruptions to circadian timing are associated with a host of maladies, including metabolic disease and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and mental health disturbances. The circadian timing system is hierarchically organized, with a master circadian clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus and subordinate clocks throughout the CNS and periphery. The SCN receives light information via a direct retinal pathway, synchronizing the master clock to environmental time. At the cellular level, circadian rhythms are ubiquitous, with rhythms generated by interlocking, autoregulatory transcription-translation feedback loops. At the level of the SCN, tight cellular coupling maintains rhythms even in the absence of environmental input. The SCN, in turn, communicates timing information via the autonomic nervous system and hormonal signaling. This signaling couples individual cellular oscillators at the tissue level in extra-SCN brain loci and the periphery and synchronizes subordinate clocks to external time. In the modern world, circadian disruption is widespread due to limited exposure to sunlight during the day, exposure to artificial light at night, and widespread use of light-emitting electronic devices, likely contributing to an increase in the prevalence, and the progression, of a host of disease states. The present overview focuses on the circadian control of endocrine secretions, the significance of rhythms within key endocrine axes for typical, homeostatic functioning, and implications for health and disease when dysregulated. © 2022 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 12: 1-30, 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Moeller
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Savannah R Bever
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Samantha L Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | | | - Madison F Browne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Lance J Kriegsfeld
- Graduate Group in Endocrinology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.,The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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4
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Kauffman AS. Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying estrogen positive feedback and the LH surge. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:953252. [PMID: 35968365 PMCID: PMC9364933 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.953252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A fundamental principle in reproductive neuroendocrinology is sex steroid feedback: steroid hormones secreted by the gonads circulate back to the brain to regulate the neural circuits governing the reproductive neuroendocrine axis. These regulatory feedback loops ultimately act to modulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, thereby affecting gonadotropin secretion from the anterior pituitary. In females, rising estradiol (E2) during the middle of the menstrual (or estrous) cycle paradoxically "switch" from being inhibitory on GnRH secretion ("negative feedback") to stimulating GnRH release ("positive feedback"), resulting in a surge in GnRH secretion and a downstream LH surge that triggers ovulation. While upstream neural afferents of GnRH neurons, including kisspeptin neurons in the rostral hypothalamus, are proposed as critical loci of E2 feedback action, the underlying mechanisms governing the shift between E2 negative and positive feedback are still poorly understood. Indeed, the precise cell targets, neural signaling factors and receptors, hormonal pathways, and molecular mechanisms by which ovarian-derived E2 indirectly stimulates GnRH surge secretion remain incompletely known. In many species, there is also a circadian component to the LH surge, restricting its occurrence to specific times of day, but how the circadian clock interacts with endocrine signals to ultimately time LH surge generation also remains a major gap in knowledge. Here, we focus on classic and recent data from rodent models and discuss the consensus knowledge of the neural players, including kisspeptin, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and glia, as well as endocrine players, including estradiol and progesterone, in the complex regulation and generation of E2-induced LH surges in females.
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5
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Sex-specific hypothalamic expression of kisspeptin, gonadotropin releasing hormone, and kisspeptin receptor in progressive demyelination model. J Chem Neuroanat 2022; 123:102120. [PMID: 35718292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2022.102120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, decrease the quality of life of patients and can affect reproduction. Assisted reproductive therapies are available, which although effective, aggravate motor symptoms. For this reason, it is important to determine how the control of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis is affected in order to develop better strategies for these patients. One way to determine this is using animal models such as the taiep rat, which shows progressive demyelination of the central nervous system, and was used in the present study to characterize the expression of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), Kisspeptin, and kisspeptin receptor (Kiss1R) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. The expression of kisspeptin, GnRH, and Kiss1R was determined at the hypothalamic level by immunofluorescence and serum LH levels were determined by ELISA. The expression of kisspeptin at the hypothalamic level showed sexual dimorphism, where there was an increase in males and a decrease in females during oestrus. There was no change in the expression of GnRH or kisspeptin receptor, regardless of sex. However, a decrease in serum LH concentration was observed in both sexes. The taiep rat showed changes in the expression of kisspeptin at the hypothalamic level. These changes are different from those reported in the literature with the use of animals with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, this is because both animal models represent different degrees of progression of multiple sclerosis. Our results suggest that the effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis depend on the differences between the demyelinating processes, their progression, and even individual factors, and it is thus important that fertility treatments are individualized to maximize therapeutic effects.
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6
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Desroziers E. Unusual suspects: Glial cells in fertility regulation and their suspected role in polycystic ovary syndrome. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13136. [PMID: 35445462 PMCID: PMC9489003 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing-hormone (GnRH) neurons sitting within the hypothalamus control the production of gametes and sex steroids by the gonads, therefore ensuring survival of species. As orchestrators of reproductive function, GnRH neurons integrate information from external and internal cues. This occurs through an extensively studied neuronal network known as the "GnRH neuronal network." However, the brain is not simply composed of neurons. Evidence suggests a role for glial cells in controlling GnRH neuron activity, secretion and fertility outcomes, although numerous questions remain. Glial cells have historically been seen as support cells for neurons. This idea has been challenged by the discovery that some neurological diseases originate from glial dysfunction. The prevalence of infertility disorders is increasing worldwide, with one in four couples being affected; therefore, it remains essential to understand the mechanisms by which the brain controls fertility. The "GnRH glial network" could be a major player in infertility disorders and represent a potential therapeutic target. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common infertility disorder of reproductive aged women worldwide, the brain is considered a prime suspect. Recent studies have demonstrated pathological neuronal wiring of the "GnRH neuronal network" in PCOS-like animal models. However, the role of the "GnRH glial network" remains to be elucidated. In this review, I aim to propose glial cells as unusual suspects in infertility disorders such as PCOS. In the first part, I state our current knowledge about the role of glia in the regulation of GnRH neurons and fertility. In the second part, based on our recent findings, I discuss how glial cells could be implicated in PCOS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Desroziers
- Department of Physiology, Centre for NeuroendocrinologyUniversity of OtagoDunedinNew Zealand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Neuroplasticity of Reproductive Behaviours TeamParisFrance
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7
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Mohr MA, Keshishian T, Falcy BA, Laham BJ, Wong AM, Micevych PE. Puberty enables oestradiol-induced progesterone synthesis in female mouse hypothalamic astrocytes. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13082. [PMID: 35000221 PMCID: PMC9207152 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The development of oestrogen positive feedback is a hallmark of female puberty. Both oestrogen and progesterone signalling are required for the functioning of this neuroendocrine feedback loop but the physiological changes that underlie the emergence of positive feedback remain unknown. Only after puberty does oestradiol (E2) facilitate progesterone synthesis in the rat female hypothalamus (neuroP), an event critical for positive feedback and the LH surge. We hypothesize that prior to puberty, these astrocytes have low levels of membrane oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα), which is needed for facilitation of neuroP synthesis. Thus, we hypothesized that prepubertal astrocytes are unable to respond to E2 with increased neuroP synthesis due a lack of membrane ERα. To test this, hypothalamic tissues and enriched primary hypothalamic astrocyte cultures were acquired from prepubertal (postnatal week 3) and post-pubertal (week 8) female mice. E2-facilitated neuroP was measured in the hypothalamus pre- and post-puberty, and hypothalamic astrocyte responses were measured after treatment with E2. Prior to puberty, E2-facilitated neuroP synthesis did not occur in the hypothalamus, and mERα expression was low in hypothalamic astrocytes, but E2-facilitated neuroP synthesis in the rostral hypothalamus and mERα expression increased post-puberty. The increase in mERα expression in hypothalamic astrocytes corresponded with a post-pubertal increase in caveolin-1 protein, PKA phosphorylation, and a more rapid [Ca2+ ]i flux in response to E2. Together, results from the present study indicate that E2-facilitated neuroP synthesis occurs in the rostral hypothalamus, develops during puberty, and corresponds to a post-pubertal increase in mERα levels in hypothalamic astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A Mohr
- Department of Neurobiology, UCLA DGSOM, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tina Keshishian
- Department of Neurobiology, UCLA DGSOM, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Brennan A Falcy
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Blake J Laham
- Department of Psychology, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Angela M Wong
- Department of Neurobiology, UCLA DGSOM, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Paul E Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, UCLA DGSOM, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Vigil P, Meléndez J, Soto H, Petkovic G, Bernal YA, Molina S. Chronic Stress and Ovulatory Dysfunction: Implications in Times of COVID-19. Front Glob Womens Health 2022; 3:866104. [PMID: 35677754 PMCID: PMC9168655 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2022.866104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is known to be associated with adverse health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns are examples of chronic stressors. Lockdown measures inadvertently caused significant psychological distress and became a powerful source of anxiety/stress, sleep disturbances, nutritional changes and weight gain. Stress is known to impact women's health specifically, through hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis dysfunction and resultant ovulatory dysfunction. Such dysfunction may manifest in menstrual irregularities and/or infertility due to hypothalamic hypogonadism. Here, we review the key physiological mediators of stress and associated ovulatory dysfunction. The kisspeptinergic system is comprised of sets of neurons located in the hypothalamus, the rostral periventricular region of the third ventricle (RP3V) and the arcuate nucleus (ARC). This system links nutrition, reproductive signals and stress. It plays a key role in the function of the HPG axis. During chronic stress, the kisspeptinergic system affects the HPG axis, GnRH pulsatility, and, therefore, ovulation. Leptin, insulin and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) are thought to be additional key modulators in the behavioral responses to chronic stress and may contribute to stress-related ovulatory dysfunction. This mini-review also summarizes and appraises the available evidence on the negative impact of chronic stress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. It proposes physiological mechanisms to explain the observed effects on women's reproductive health and well-being. The review suggests areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Vigil
- Reproductive Health Research Institute (RHRI), Santiago, Chile
- Fundación Médica San Cristóbal, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Pilar Vigil
| | - Jaime Meléndez
- Reproductive Health Research Institute (RHRI), Santiago, Chile
| | - Hugo Soto
- Reproductive Health Research Institute (RHRI), Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Yanara A. Bernal
- Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Santiago Molina
- Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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9
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Chuon T, Feri M, Carlson C, Ondrejik S, Micevych PE, Sinchak K. Progesterone receptor-Src kinase signaling pathway mediates neuroprogesterone induction of the luteinizing hormone surge in female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13071. [PMID: 34904297 PMCID: PMC8923351 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Neural circuits in female rats are exposed to sequential estradiol and progesterone to regulate the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and ultimately ovulation. Estradiol induces progesterone receptors (PGRs) in anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) kisspeptin neurons, and as estradiol reaches peak concentrations, neuroprogesterone (neuroP) synthesis is induced in hypothalamic astrocytes. This local neuroP signals to PGRs expressed in kisspeptin neurons to trigger the LH surge. We tested the hypothesis that neuroP-PGR signaling through Src family kinase (Src) underlies the LH surge. As observed in vitro, PGR and Src are co-expressed in AVPV neurons. Estradiol treatment increased the number of PGR immunopositive cells and PGR and Src colocalization. Furthermore, estradiol treatment increased the number of AVPV cells that had extranuclear PGR and Src in close proximity (< 40 nm). Infusion of the Src inhibitor (PP2) into the AVPV region of ovariectomized/adrenalectomized (ovx/adx) rats attenuated the LH surge in trunk blood collected 53 h post-estradiol (50 µg) injection that induced neuroP synthesis. Although PP2 reduced the LH surge in estradiol benzoate treated ovx/adx rats, activation of either AVPV PGR or Src in 2 µg estradiol-primed animals significantly elevated LH concentrations compared to dimethyl sulfoxide infused rats. Finally, antagonism of either AVPV PGR or Src blocked the ability of PGR or Src activation to induce an LH surge in estradiol-primed ovx/adx rats. These results indicate that neuroP, which triggers the LH surge, signals through an extranuclear PGR-Src signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timbora Chuon
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State
University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Micah Feri
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State
University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Claire Carlson
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State
University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Sharity Ondrejik
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State
University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - Paul E Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine
at UCLA, The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University
of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Sinchak
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State
University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
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10
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Stevenson H, Bartram S, Charalambides MM, Murthy S, Petitt T, Pradeep A, Vineall O, Abaraonye I, Lancaster A, Koysombat K, Patel B, Abbara A. Kisspeptin-neuron control of LH pulsatility and ovulation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:951938. [PMID: 36479214 PMCID: PMC9721495 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.951938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Feedback from oestradiol (E2) plays a critical role in the regulation of major events in the physiological menstrual cycle including the release of gonadotrophins to stimulate follicular growth, and the mid-cycle luteinising hormone (LH) surge that leads to ovulation. E2 predominantly exerts its action via oestrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), however, as gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons lack ERα, E2-feedback is posited to be indirectly mediated via upstream neurons. Kisspeptin (KP) is a neuropeptide expressed in hypothalamic KP-neurons that control GnRH secretion and plays a key role in the central mechanism regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In the rodent arcuate (ARC) nucleus, KP is co-expressed with Neurokinin B and Dynorphin; and thus, these neurons are termed 'Kisspeptin-Neurokinin B-Dynorphin' (KNDy) neurons. ARC KP-neurons function as the 'GnRH pulse generator' to regulate GnRH pulsatility, as well as mediating negative feedback from E2. A second KP neuronal population is present in the rostral periventricular area of the third ventricle (RP3V), which includes anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) nucleus and preoptic area neurons. These RP3V KP-neurons mediate positive feedback to induce the mid-cycle luteinising hormone (LH) surge and subsequent ovulation. Here, we describe the role of KP-neurons in these two regions in mediating this differential feedback from oestrogens. We conclude by considering reproductive diseases for which exploitation of these mechanisms could yield future therapies.
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11
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Mohr MA, Esparza LA, Steffen P, Micevych PE, Kauffman AS. Progesterone Receptors in AVPV Kisspeptin Neurons Are Sufficient for Positive Feedback Induction of the LH Surge. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6348143. [PMID: 34379733 PMCID: PMC8423423 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptin, encoded by Kiss1, stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons to govern reproduction. In female rodents, estrogen-sensitive kisspeptin neurons in the rostral anteroventral periventricular (AVPV) hypothalamus are thought to mediate estradiol (E2)-induced positive feedback induction of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. AVPV kisspeptin neurons coexpress estrogen and progesterone receptors (PGRs) and are activated during the LH surge. While E2 effects on kisspeptin neurons have been well studied, progesterone's regulation of kisspeptin neurons is less understood. Using transgenic mice lacking PGR exclusively in kisspeptin cells (termed KissPRKOs), we previously demonstrated that progesterone action specifically in kisspeptin cells is essential for ovulation and normal fertility. Unlike control females, KissPRKO females did not generate proper LH surges, indicating that PGR signaling in kisspeptin cells is required for positive feedback. However, because PGR was knocked out from all kisspeptin neurons in the brain, that study was unable to determine the specific kisspeptin population mediating PGR action on the LH surge. Here, we used targeted Cre-mediated adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology to reintroduce PGR selectively into AVPV kisspeptin neurons of adult KissPRKO females, and tested whether this rescues occurrence of the LH surge. We found that targeted upregulation of PGR in kisspeptin neurons exclusively in the AVPV is sufficient to restore proper E2-induced LH surges in KissPRKO females, suggesting that this specific kisspeptin population is a key target of the necessary progesterone action for the surge. These findings further highlight the critical importance of progesterone signaling, along with E2 signaling, in the positive feedback induction of LH surges and ovulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A Mohr
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lourdes A Esparza
- Department of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Paige Steffen
- Department of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Paul E Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Alexander S Kauffman
- Department of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Correspondence: Dr. Alexander S. Kauffman, Department of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0674, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. E-mail:
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12
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Delli V, Silva MSB, Prévot V, Chachlaki K. The KiNG of reproduction: Kisspeptin/ nNOS interactions shaping hypothalamic GnRH release. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 532:111302. [PMID: 33964320 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the master regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and therefore of fertility and reproduction. The release pattern of GnRH by the hypothalamus includes both pulses and surges. However, despite a considerable body of evidence in support of a determinant role for kisspeptin, the mechanisms regulating a GnRH pulse and surge remain a topic of debate. In this review we challenge the view of kisspeptin as an absolute "monarch", and instead present the idea of a Kisspeptin-nNOS-GnRH or "KiNG" network that is responsible for generating the "GnRH pulse" and "GnRH surge". In particular, the neuromodulator nitric oxide (NO) has opposite effects to kisspeptin on GnRH secretion in many respects, acting as the Yin to kisspeptin's Yang and creating a dynamic system in which kisspeptin provides the "ON" signal, promoting GnRH release, while NO mediates the "OFF" signal, acting as a tonic brake on GnRH secretion. This interplay between an activator and an inhibitor, which is in turn fine-tuned by the gonadal steroid environment, thus leads to the generation of GnRH pulses and surges and is crucial for the proper development and function of the reproductive axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Delli
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, F-59000, Lille, France; FHU, 1000 Days for Health, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Mauro S B Silva
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, F-59000, Lille, France; FHU, 1000 Days for Health, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Vincent Prévot
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, F-59000, Lille, France; FHU, 1000 Days for Health, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Konstantina Chachlaki
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S 1172, F-59000, Lille, France; FHU, 1000 Days for Health, F-59000, Lille, France; University Research Institute of Child Health and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
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13
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Zmijewska A, Czelejewska W, Drzewiecka EM, Franczak A. Effect of kisspeptin (KISS) and RFamide-related peptide-3 (RFRP-3) on the synthesis and secretion of FSH in vitro by pituitary cells in pigs. Theriogenology 2021; 171:72-84. [PMID: 34044335 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptins (KISSs) and RFamide-related peptide-3 (RFRP-3) affect the synthesis and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and modulate female reproductive processes. The presence of KISS and RFRP-3 in the porcine pituitary gland and their contribution to the regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and secretion is unknown. This study analyzed the presence of KISS and RFRP-3 in the pituitary of estrous-cyclic pigs on days 2 to 3, 10 to 11, 12 to 13, 15 to 16 and 19 to 20 and early pregnant pigs on days 10 to 11, 12 to 13 and 15 to 16, and evaluated the effect of KISS and RFRP-3 on β-Fsh mRNA expression and FSH secretion in vitro by pituitary cells collected on selected days of the estrous cycle. The cells were cultured in vitro and treated with KISS (10-6 M, 10-7 M) and RFRP-3 (10-6 M, 10-7 M) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH; 100 ng/mL) alone and in combinations (4 h or 24 h). The relative abundance of Kiss and Rfrp-3 and their receptor mRNA transcripts, as well as the KISS and RFRP-3 proteins, were found in the pituitaries of estrous-cyclic and early pregnant pigs. KISS after 4 h increased the secretion of FSH in estrous cyclic pigs mostly during the early-luteal phase and luteolysis. RFRP-3 inhibited the synthesis and secretion of FSH in estrous-cyclic pigs on days 19 to 20 and the secretion of FSH on days 2 to 3 and 10 to 12 of the estrous cycle compared with GnRH-treated cells. KISS in co-treatment with GnRH after 24 h enhanced FSH release on days 2 to 3 and 15 to 16 of the estrous cycle. In conclusion, KISS and RFRP-3 systems are present in the pituitary of estrous-cyclic and pregnant pigs. In estrous-cyclic pigs, KISS and RFRP-3 may affect the synthesis and secretion of FSH by pituitary cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Zmijewska
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowski 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Wioleta Czelejewska
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowski 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Ewa M Drzewiecka
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowski 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Anita Franczak
- Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowski 1A, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland
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14
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Smedlund KB, Hill JW. The role of non-neuronal cells in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110996. [PMID: 32860862 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is controlled by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) released by the hypothalamus. Disruption of this system leads to impaired reproductive maturation and function, a condition known as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). Most studies to date have focused on genetic causes of HH that impact neuronal development and function. However, variants may also impact the functioning of non-neuronal cells known as glia. Glial cells make up 50% of brain cells of humans, primates, and rodents. They include radial glial cells, microglia, astrocytes, tanycytes, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Many of these cells influence the hypothalamic neuroendocrine system controlling fertility. Indeed, glia regulate GnRH neuronal activity and secretion, acting both at their cell bodies and their nerve endings. Recent work has also made clear that these interactions are an essential aspect of how the HPG axis integrates endocrine, metabolic, and environmental signals to control fertility. Recognition of the clinical importance of interactions between glia and the GnRH network may pave the way for the development of new treatment strategies for dysfunctions of puberty and adult fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn B Smedlund
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA; Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Jennifer W Hill
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA; Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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15
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Sinchak K, Mohr MA, Micevych PE. Hypothalamic Astrocyte Development and Physiology for Neuroprogesterone Induction of the Luteinizing Hormone Surge. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:420. [PMID: 32670203 PMCID: PMC7333179 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits in female rats sequentially exposed to estradiol and progesterone underlie so-called estrogen positive feedback that induce the surge release of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) leading to ovulation and luteinization of the corpus hemorrhagicum. It is now well-established that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons express neither the reproductively critical estrogen receptor-α (ERα) nor classical progesterone receptor (PGR). Estradiol from developing ovarian follicles acts on ERα-expressing kisspeptin neurons in the rostral periventricular region of the third ventricle (RP3V) to induce PGR expression, and kisspeptin release. Circulating estradiol levels that induce positive feedback also induce neuroprogesterone (neuroP) synthesis in hypothalamic astrocytes. This local neuroP acts on kisspeptin neurons that express PGR to augment kisspeptin expression and release needed to stimulate GnRH release, triggering the LH surge. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that neuroP signaling in kisspeptin neurons occurs through membrane PGR activation of Src family kinase (Src). This signaling cascade has been also implicated in PGR signaling in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, suggesting that Src may be a common mode of membrane PGR signaling. Sexual maturation requires that signaling between neuroP synthesizing astrocytes, kisspeptin and GnRH neurons be established. Prior to puberty, estradiol does not facilitate the synthesis of neuroP in hypothalamic astrocytes. During pubertal development, levels of membrane ERα increase in astrocytes coincident with an increase of PKA phosphorylation needed for neuroP synthesis. Currently, it is not clear whether these developmental changes occur in existing astrocytes or are due to a new population of astrocytes born during puberty. However, strong evidence suggests that it is the former. Blocking new cell addition during puberty attenuates the LH surge. Together these results demonstrate the importance of pubertal maturation involving hypothalamic astrocytes, estradiol-induced neuroP synthesis and membrane-initiated progesterone signaling for the CNS control of ovulation and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Sinchak
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, United States
| | - Margaret A Mohr
- The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Paul E Micevych
- The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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16
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Mohr MA, Wong AM, Tomm RJ, Soma KK, Micevych PE. Pubertal development of estradiol-induced hypothalamic progesterone synthesis. Horm Behav 2019; 111:110-113. [PMID: 30552874 PMCID: PMC6527482 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In females, a hallmark of puberty is the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge that triggers ovulation. Puberty initiates estrogen positive feedback onto hypothalamic circuits, which underlie the stimulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. In reproductively mature female rodents, both estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) signaling are necessary to stimulate the surge release of GnRH and LH. Estradiol membrane-initiated signaling facilitates progesterone (neuroP) synthesis in hypothalamic astrocytes, which act on E2-induced progesterone receptors (PGR) to stimulate kisspeptin release, thereby activating GnRH release. How the brain changes during puberty to allow estrogen positive feedback remains unknown. In the current study, we hypothesized that a critical step in estrogen positive feedback was the ability for estradiol-induced neuroP synthesis. To test this idea, hypothalamic neuroP levels were measured in groups of prepubertal, pubertal and young adult female Long Evans rats. Steroids were measured with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hypothalamic neuroP increases from pre-puberty to young adulthood in both gonad-intact females and ovariectomized rats treated with E2. The pubertal development of hypothalamic E2-facilitated progesterone synthesis appears to be one of the neural switches facilitating reproductive maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Mohr
- UCLA DGSOM Dept of Neurobiology, 650 Charles E Young Dr. S, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, United States of America.
| | - A M Wong
- UCLA DGSOM Dept of Neurobiology, 650 Charles E Young Dr. S, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, United States of America
| | - R J Tomm
- UBC Dept of Psychology and Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - K K Soma
- UBC Dept of Psychology and Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - P E Micevych
- UCLA DGSOM Dept of Neurobiology, 650 Charles E Young Dr. S, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, United States of America
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17
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Szeliga A, Czyzyk A, Podfigurna A, Genazzani AR, Genazzani AD, Meczekalski B. The role of kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin neurons in pathomechanism of vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women: from physiology to potential therapeutic applications. Gynecol Endocrinol 2018; 34:913-919. [PMID: 29902942 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2018.1480711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Women during perimenopausal period experience a range of symptoms, which interfere with physical, sexual, and social life. About 65-75% of symptoms connected with postmenopausal period are vasomotor symptoms (VMS), such as hot flushes and night sweats. Hot flushes are subjective sensation of heat associated with cutaneous vasodilatation and drop in core temperature. It is suspected that VMS are strongly correlated with pulsatile oversecretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and subsequently luteinizing hormone (LH). Evidence has accumulated in parallel showing that lack of negative feedback of steroid hormones synthesized in ovary causes overactivation of hypertrophied kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin (KNDy) neurons, located in infundibular nucleus. Oversecretion of both kisspeptin (KISS1) and neurokinin B (NKB), as well as downregulation of dynorphin, plays dominant role in creation of GnRH pulses. This in turn causes VMS. Administration of senktide, highly potent and selective NK3R agonist, resulted in increase of serum LH concentration, induction of VMS, increase in heart rate, and skin temperature in postmenopausal women. These finding suggest that modulation of KNDy neurons may become new therapeutic approach in the treatment of VMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Szeliga
- a Department of Gynecological Endocrinology , Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Adam Czyzyk
- a Department of Gynecological Endocrinology , Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Agnieszka Podfigurna
- a Department of Gynecological Endocrinology , Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Andrea R Genazzani
- b Department of Reproductive Medicine and Child Development, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics , University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | - Alessandro D Genazzani
- c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Gynecological Endocrinology Center, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Modena , Italy
| | - Blazej Meczekalski
- a Department of Gynecological Endocrinology , Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznan , Poland
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18
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Micevych PE, Sinchak K. Extranuclear signaling by ovarian steroids in the regulation of sexual receptivity. Horm Behav 2018; 104:4-14. [PMID: 29753716 PMCID: PMC6240501 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Micevych
- Dept of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the UCLA Brain Research Institute, United States
| | - Kevin Sinchak
- Dept of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, United States.
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19
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Lehman MN, Coolen LM, Steiner RA, Neal-Perry G, Wang L, Moenter SM, Moore AM, Goodman RL, Hwa-Yeo S, Padilla SL, Kauffman AS, Garcia J, Kelly MJ, Clarkson J, Radovick S, Babwah AV, Leon S, Tena-Sempere M, Comninos A, Seminara S, Dhillo WS, Levine J, Terasawa E, Negron A, Herbison AE. The 3 rd World Conference on Kisspeptin, "Kisspeptin 2017: Brain and Beyond":Unresolved questions, challenges and future directions for the field. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12600. [PMID: 29656508 PMCID: PMC6461527 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The 3rd World Conference on Kisspeptin, "Kisspeptin 2017: Brain and Beyond" was held March 30-31 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida, providing an international forum for multidisciplinary scientists to meet and share cutting-edge research on kisspeptin biology and its relevance to human health and disease. The meeting built upon previous world conferences focused on the role of kisspeptin and associated peptides in the control of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and reproduction. Based on recent discoveries, the scope of this meeting was expanded to include functions of kisspeptin and related peptides in other physiological systems including energy homeostasis, pregnancy, ovarian and uterine function, and thermoregulation. In addition, discussions addressed the translation of basic knowledge of kisspeptin biology to the treatment of disease, with the goal of seeking consensus about the best approaches to improve human health. The two-day meeting featured a non-traditional structure, with each day starting with poster sessions followed by lunch discussions and facilitated large-group sessions with short presentations to maximize the exchange of new, unpublished data. Topics were identified by a survey prior to the meeting, and focused on major unresolved questions, important controversies, and future directions in the field. Finally, career development activities provided mentoring for trainees and junior investigators, and networking opportunities for those individuals with established researchers in the field. Overall, the meeting was rated as a success by attendees and covered a wide range of lively and provocative discussion topics on the changing nature of the field of "kisspeptinology" and its future. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N Lehman
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216-4505, USA
| | - Lique M Coolen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216-4505, USA
| | - Robert A Steiner
- Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Box 357290 Seattle, WA 98195-7290, USA
| | - Genevieve Neal-Perry
- Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Box 357290 Seattle, WA 98195-7290, USA
| | - Luhong Wang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Suzanne M Moenter
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aleisha M Moore
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216-4505, USA
| | - Robert L Goodman
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 26506, USA
| | - Shel Hwa-Yeo
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development, Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephanie L Padilla
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Alexander S Kauffman
- University of California, San Diego, Department of Obstetrics& Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James Garcia
- Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Martin J Kelly
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 and Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
| | - Jenny Clarkson
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago School of Biomedical Science, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Sally Radovick
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Andy V Babwah
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Silvia Leon
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manuel Tena-Sempere
- Instituto Maimonides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Córdoba; and Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 14004Córdoba, Spain
| | - Alex Comninos
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Stephanie Seminara
- Harvard Reproductive Sciences Center and Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Waljit S Dhillo
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jon Levine
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Ei Terasawa
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Ariel Negron
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers University - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Allan E Herbison
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, University of Otago School of Biomedical Science, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
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20
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On the role of brain aromatase in females: why are estrogens produced locally when they are available systemically? J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:31-49. [PMID: 29086012 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1224-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The ovaries are often thought of as the main and only source of estrogens involved in the regulation of female behavior. However, aromatase, the key enzyme for estrogen synthesis, although it is more abundant in males, is expressed and active in the brain of females where it is regulated by similar mechanisms as in males. Early work had shown that estrogens produced in the ventromedial hypothalamus are involved in the regulation of female sexual behavior in musk shrews. However, the question of the role of central aromatase in general had not received much attention until recently. Here, I will review the emerging concept that central aromatization plays a role in the regulation of physiological and behavioral endpoints in females. The data support the notion that in females, brain aromatase is not simply a non-functional evolutionary vestige, and provide support for the importance of locally produced estrogens for brain function in females. These observations should also have an impact for clinical research.
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21
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Mittelman-Smith MA, Rudolph LM, Mohr MA, Micevych PE. Rodent Models of Non-classical Progesterone Action Regulating Ovulation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:165. [PMID: 28790975 PMCID: PMC5522857 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is becoming clear that steroid hormones act not only by binding to nuclear receptors that associate with specific response elements in the nucleus but also by binding to receptors on the cell membrane. In this newly discovered manner, steroid hormones can initiate intracellular signaling cascades which elicit rapid effects such as release of internal calcium stores and activation of kinases. We have learned much about the translocation and signaling of steroid hormone receptors from investigations into estrogen receptor α, which can be trafficked to, and signal from, the cell membrane. It is now clear that progesterone (P4) can also elicit effects that cannot be exclusively explained by transcriptional changes. Similar to E2 and its receptors, P4 can initiate signaling at the cell membrane, both through progesterone receptor and via a host of newly discovered membrane receptors (e.g., membrane progesterone receptors, progesterone receptor membrane components). This review discusses the parallels between neurotransmitter-like E2 action and the more recently investigated non-classical P4 signaling, in the context of reproductive behaviors in the rodent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda A. Mittelman-Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Melinda A. Mittelman-Smith,
| | - Lauren M. Rudolph
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Margaret A. Mohr
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Paul E. Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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