1
|
Ivanova D, Voliotis M, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, O'Byrne KT, Li XF. NK3R signalling in the posterodorsal medial amygdala is involved in stress-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion in female mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2024; 36:e13384. [PMID: 38516965 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Psychosocial stress negatively impacts reproductive function by inhibiting pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is responsible in part for processing stress and modulating the reproductive axis. Activation of the neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) suppresses the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator, under hypoestrogenic conditions, and NK3R activity in the amygdala has been documented to play a role in stress and anxiety. We investigate whether NK3R activation in the MePD is involved in mediating the inhibitory effect of psychosocial stress on LH pulsatility in ovariectomised female mice. First, we administered senktide, an NK3R agonist, into the MePD and monitored the effect on pulsatile LH secretion. We then delivered SB222200, a selective NK3R antagonist, intra-MePD in the presence of predator odour, 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole (TMT) and examined the effect on LH pulses. Senktide administration into the MePD dose-dependently suppresses pulsatile LH secretion. Moreover, NK3R signalling in the MePD mediates TMT-induced suppression of the GnRH pulse generator, which we verified using a mathematical model. The model verifies our experimental findings: (i) predator odour exposure inhibits LH pulses, (ii) activation of NK3R in the MePD inhibits LH pulses and (iii) NK3R antagonism in the MePD blocks stressor-induced inhibition of LH pulse frequency in the absence of ovarian steroids. These results demonstrate for the first time that NK3R neurons in the MePD mediate psychosocial stress-induced suppression of the GnRH pulse generator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deyana Ivanova
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Aerts EG, Griesgraber MJ, Shuping SL, Bowdridge EC, Hardy SL, Goodman RL, Nestor CC, Hileman SM. The effect of NK3-Saporin injection within the arcuate nucleus on puberty, the LH surge, and the response to Senktide in female sheep†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:275-287. [PMID: 37930247 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The timing of puberty onset is reliant on increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This elicits a corresponding increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) due to a lessening of sensitivity to the inhibitory actions of estradiol (E2). The mechanisms underlying the increase in GnRH release likely involve a subset of neurons within the arcuate (ARC) nucleus of the hypothalamus that contain kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin (KNDy neurons). We aimed to determine if KNDy neurons in female sheep are critical for: timely puberty onset; the LH surge; and the response to an intravenous injection of the neurokinin-3 receptor (NK3R) agonist, senktide. Prepubertal ewes received injections aimed at the ARC containing blank-saporin (control, n = 5) or NK3-saporin (NK3-SAP, n = 6) to ablate neurons expressing NK3R. Blood samples taken 3/week for 65 days following surgery were assessed for progesterone to determine onset of puberty. Control ewes exhibited onset of puberty at 33.2 ± 3.9 days post sampling initiation, whereas 5/6 NK3-SAP treated ewes didn't display an increase in progesterone. After an artificial LH surge protocol, surge amplitude was lower in NK3-SAP ewes. Finally, ewes were treated with senktide to determine if an LH response was elicited. LH pulses were evident in both groups in the absence of injections, but the response to senktide vs saline was similar between groups. These results show that KNDy cells are necessary for timely puberty onset and for full expresson of the LH surge. The occurrence of LH pulses in NK3-SAP treated ewes may indicate a recovery from an apulsatile state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eliana G Aerts
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Max J Griesgraber
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Sydney L Shuping
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | | | - Steven L Hardy
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Robert L Goodman
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Casey C Nestor
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Stanley M Hileman
- Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
|
4
|
Jamieson BB, Piet R. Kisspeptin neuron electrophysiology: Intrinsic properties, hormonal modulation, and regulation of homeostatic circuits. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101006. [PMID: 35640722 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The obligatory role of kisspeptin (KISS1) and its receptor (KISS1R) in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, puberty and fertility was uncovered in 2003. In the few years that followed, an impressive body of work undertaken in many species established that neurons producing kisspeptin orchestrate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuron activity and subsequent GnRH and gonadotropin hormone secretory patterns, through kisspeptin-KISS1R signaling, and mediate many aspects of gonadal steroid hormone feedback regulation of GnRH neurons. Here, we review knowledge accrued over the past decade, mainly in genetically modified mouse models, of the electrophysiological properties of kisspeptin neurons and their regulation by hormonal feedback. We also discuss recent progress in our understanding of the role of these cells within neuronal circuits that control GnRH neuron activity and GnRH secretion, energy balance and, potentially, other homeostatic and reproductive functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard Piet
- Brain Health Research Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sobrino V, Avendaño MS, Perdices-López C, Jimenez-Puyer M, Tena-Sempere M. Kisspeptins and the neuroendocrine control of reproduction: Recent progress and new frontiers in kisspeptin research. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 65:100977. [PMID: 34999056 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In late 2003, a major breakthrough in our understanding of the mechanisms that govern reproduction occurred with the identification of the reproductive roles of kisspeptins, encoded by the Kiss1 gene, and their receptor, Gpr54 (aka, Kiss1R). The discovery of this unsuspected reproductive facet attracted an extraordinary interest and boosted an intense research activity, in human and model species, that, in a relatively short period, established a series of basic concepts on the physiological roles of kisspeptins. Such fundamental knowledge, gathered in these early years of kisspeptin research, set the scene for the more recent in-depth dissection of the intimacies of the neuronal networks involving Kiss1 neurons, their precise mechanisms of regulation and the molecular underpinnings of the function of kisspeptins as pivotal regulators of all key aspects of reproductive function, from puberty onset to pulsatile gonadotropin secretion and the metabolic control of fertility. While no clear temporal boundaries between these two periods can be defined, in this review we will summarize the most prominent advances in kisspeptin research occurred in the last ten years, as a means to provide an up-dated view of the state of the art and potential paths of future progress in this dynamic, and ever growing domain of Neuroendocrinology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Sobrino
- Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Maria Soledad Avendaño
- Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Cecilia Perdices-López
- Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Jimenez-Puyer
- Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Tena-Sempere
- Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 14004 Cordoba, Spain; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
The role of central estrogen in cognitive, metabolic, and reproductive health has long fascinated the lay public and scientists alike. In the last two decades, insight into estrogen signaling in the brain and its impact on female physiology is beginning to catch up with the vast information already established for its actions on peripheral tissues. Using newer methods to manipulate estrogen signaling in hormone-sensitive brain regions, neuroscientists are now identifying the molecular pathways and neuronal subtypes required for controlling sex-dependent energy allocation. However, the immense cellular complexity of these hormone-sensitive brain regions makes it clear that more research is needed to fully appreciate how estrogen modulates neural circuits to regulate physiological and behavioral end points. Such insight is essential for understanding how natural or drug-induced hormone fluctuations across lifespan affect women's health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly A Ingraham
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| | - Candice B Herber
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| | - William C Krause
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Mission Bay, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Extrahypothalamic Control of Energy Balance and Its Connection with Reproduction: Roles of the Amygdala. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11120837. [PMID: 34940594 PMCID: PMC8708157 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11120837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Body energy and metabolic homeostasis are exquisitely controlled by multiple, often overlapping regulatory mechanisms, which permit the tight adjustment between fuel reserves, internal needs, and environmental (e.g., nutritional) conditions. As such, this function is sensitive to and closely connected with other relevant bodily systems, including reproduction and gonadal function. The aim of this mini-review article is to summarize the most salient experimental data supporting a role of the amygdala as a key brain region for emotional learning and behavior, including reward processing, in the physiological control of feeding and energy balance. In particular, a major focus will be placed on the putative interplay between reproductive signals and amygdala pathways, as it pertains to the control of metabolism, as complementary, extrahypothalamic circuit for the integral control of energy balance and gonadal function.
Collapse
|
8
|
Al Abed AS, Reynolds NJ, Dehorter N. A Second Wave for the Neurokinin Tac2 Pathway in Brain Research. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:156-164. [PMID: 33867115 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite promising advances in basic research of the neurokinin B/Tac2 pathway in both animals and humans, clinical applications are yet to be implemented. This is likely because of our limited understanding of the action of the pathway in the brain. While this system controls neuronal activity in multiple regions, the precise impact of Tac2-induced cellular responses on behavior remains unclear. Recently, elegant studies revealed a key contribution to stress-related behaviors and memory. Here, we discuss the crucial importance of bridging the gap between the Tac2 pathway's involvement in cell physiology and cognition to comprehend its role in health and disease. We propose that a better understanding of the Tac2 pathway in the brain could provide an essential perspective for basic investigations, which in turn will feed clinical research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Shaam Al Abed
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nathan J Reynolds
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nathalie Dehorter
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Talbi R, Ferrari K, Choi JH, Gerutshang A, McCarthy EA, Dischino D, León S, Navarro VM. Characterization of the Action of Tachykinin Signaling on Pulsatile LH Secretion in Male Mice. Endocrinology 2021; 162:bqab074. [PMID: 33839770 PMCID: PMC8234505 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The alternation of the stimulatory action of the tachykinin neurokinin B (NKB) and the inhibitory action of dynorphin within arcuate (ARH) Kiss1 neurons has been proposed as the mechanism behind the generation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulses through the pulsatile release of kisspeptin. However, we have recently documented that GnRH pulses still exist in gonadectomized mice in the absence of tachykinin signaling. Here, we document an increase in basal frequency and amplitude of luteinizing hormone (LH) pulses in intact male mice deficient in substance P, neurokinin A (NKA) signaling (Tac1KO), and NKB signaling (Tac2KO and Tacr3KO). Moreover, we offer evidence that a single bolus of the NKB receptor agonist senktide to gonad-intact wild-type males increases the basal release of LH without changing its frequency. Altogether, these data support the dispensable role of the individual tachykinin systems in the generation of LH pulses. Moreover, the increased activity of the GnRH pulse generator in intact KO male mice suggests the existence of compensation by additional mechanisms in the generation of kisspeptin/GnRH pulses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajae Talbi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kaitlin Ferrari
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ji Hae Choi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Achi Gerutshang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Elizabeth A McCarthy
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Daniel Dischino
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Silvia León
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Víctor M Navarro
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Harvard Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
León S, Fergani C, Talbi R, Maguire CA, Gerutshang A, Seminara SB, Navarro VM. Tachykinin Signaling Is Required for Induction of the Preovulatory Luteinizing Hormone Surge and Normal Luteinizing Hormone Pulses. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:542-554. [PMID: 32512561 PMCID: PMC7722126 DOI: 10.1159/000509222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Tachykinins (neurokinin A [NKA], neurokinin B [NKB], and substance P [SP]) are important components of the neuroendocrine control of reproduction by direct stimulation of Kiss1 neurons to control GnRH pulsatility, which is essential for reproduction. Despite this role of tachykinins in successful reproduction, knockout (KO) mice for Tac1 (NKA/SP) and Tac2 (NKB) genes are fertile, resembling the phenotype of human patients bearing NKB signaling mutations, who often reverse their hypogonadal phenotype. This suggests the existence of compensatory mechanisms among the different tachykinin ligand-receptor systems to maintain reproduction in the absence of one of them. In order to test this hypothesis, we generated complete tachykinin-deficient mice (Tac1/Tac2KO). Male mice displayed delayed puberty onset and decreased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility (frequency and amplitude of LH pulses) but preserved fertility. However, females did not show signs of puberty onset (first estrus) within 45 days after vaginal opening, they displayed a low frequency (but normal amplitude) of LH pulses, and 80% of them remained infertile. Further evaluation identified a complete absence of the preovulatory LH surge in Tac1/Tac2KO females as well as in wild-type females treated with NKB or SP receptor antagonists. These data confirmed a fundamental role of tachykinins in the timing of puberty onset and LH pulsatility and uncovered a role of tachykinin signaling in facilitation of the preovulatory LH surge. Overall, these findings indicate that tachykinin signaling plays a dominant role in the control of ovulation, with potential implications as a pathogenic mechanism and a therapeutic target to improve reproductive outcomes in women with ovulation impairments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia León
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chrysanthi Fergani
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rajae Talbi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caroline A Maguire
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Achi Gerutshang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie B Seminara
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Reproductive Sciences Center and Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Victor M Navarro
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,
- Harvard Program in Neuroscience, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
RNAi-based screens uncover a potential new role for the orphan neuropeptide receptor Moody in Drosophila female germline stem cell maintenance. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243756. [PMID: 33307547 PMCID: PMC7732368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is highly sensitive to changes in physiology and the external environment. Neuropeptides are evolutionarily conserved signaling molecules that regulate multiple physiological processes. However, the potential reproductive roles of many neuropeptide signaling pathways remain underexplored. Here, we describe the results of RNAi-based screens in Drosophila melanogaster to identify neuropeptides/neuropeptide receptors with potential roles in oogenesis. The screen read-outs were either the number of eggs laid per female per day over time or fluorescence microscopy analysis of dissected ovaries. We found that the orphan neuropeptide receptor encoded by moody (homologous to mammalian melatonin receptors) is likely required in somatic cells for normal egg production and proper germline stem cell maintenance. However, the egg laying screens had low signal-to-noise ratio and did not lead to the identification of additional candidates. Thus, although egg count assays might be useful for large-scale screens to identify oogenesis regulators that result in dramatic changes in oogenesis, more labor-intensive microscopy-based screen are better applicable for identifying new physiological regulators of oogenesis with more subtle phenotypes.
Collapse
|
12
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
The tachykinin family of peptides has emerged as a critical component of the central control of the reproductive axis. Mounting evidence suggests that neurokinin B (NKB) plays an essential role in sexual maturation and fertility by directly stimulating the release of kisspeptin, with the contribution of additional tachykinins (neurokinin A [NKA] and substance P [SP]) in the fine tuning of the activity of Kiss1 neurons. The expression of tachykinins increases in the hypothalamus before puberty and, therefore, they are considered as initiators of pubertal development by stimulating the awakening of Kiss1 neurons. This is supported by studies showing delayed or absent puberty onset in humans and mice devoid of tachykinin signaling, and the advancement of puberty onset in rodents subjected to chronic activation of tachykinin receptors. This review compiles the current knowledge on the role of tachykinins in the control of puberty onset.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M Navarro
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
- Harvard Program in Neuroscience. Boston, 02115
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ball GF, Balthazart J. The neuroendocrine integration of environmental information, the regulation and action of testosterone and the challenge hypothesis. Horm Behav 2020; 123:104574. [PMID: 31442427 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The authors of the original challenge hypothesis proposed influential hypotheses concerning the relationship between testosterone concentrations in the blood and aggressive social behaviors. Many of the key observations were made in avian species studied in the wild and in captivity. In this review we evaluate some remaining questions about the ideas discussed in the challenge hypothesis from a neuroendocrine perspective. For example, a rise in testosterone in response to a social aggressive stimulus might involve complex social information being processed by the brain and an appropriate signal sent to the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system. Alternatively, social stimuli could more directly stimulate the testis and testosterone release via sympathetic innervation of the testis though such pathways have not been linked to a response to social behaviors. The social behavior decision network in the brain seems to play a key role in the regulation of aggressive behavior but how sensory information concerning aggressive behaviors is interpreted appropriately, processed by the social decision network and sent to the GnRH system is still not well understood. There are continuing questions about the extensive species variation in whether an increase in testosterone occurs in response to a territorial challenge, what its function might be and whether increases in testosterone are necessary to activate morphological changes, or the expression of sexual and aggressive behaviors associated with successful reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 201742, USA.
| | - Jacques Balthazart
- Neuroendocrinology Unit, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, 15 avenue Hippocrate (B36), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Talbi R, Navarro VM. Novel insights into the metabolic action of Kiss1 neurons. Endocr Connect 2020; 9:R124-R133. [PMID: 32348961 PMCID: PMC7274555 DOI: 10.1530/ec-20-0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Kiss1 neurons are essential regulators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis by regulating gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release. Compelling evidence suggests that Kiss1 neurons of the arcuate nucleus (Kiss1ARC), recently identified as the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator driving fertility, also participate in the regulation of metabolism through kisspeptinergic and glutamatergic interactions with, at least, proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP)/neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons, located in close apposition with Kiss1ARC. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the recent developments, mainly derived from animal models, on the role of Kiss1 neurons in the regulation of energy balance, including food intake, energy expenditure and the influence of circadian rhythms on this role. Furthermore, the possible neuroendocrine pathways underlying this effect, and the existing controversies related to the anorexigenic action of kisspeptin in the different experimental models, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajae Talbi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Victor M Navarro
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Correspondence should be addressed to V M Navarro:
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lass G, Li XF, de Burgh RA, He W, Kang Y, Hwa-Yeo S, Sinnett-Smith LC, Manchishi SM, Colledge WH, Lightman SL, O'Byrne KT. Optogenetic stimulation of kisspeptin neurones within the posterodorsal medial amygdala increases luteinising hormone pulse frequency in female mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12823. [PMID: 31872920 PMCID: PMC7116078 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptin within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus is a critical neuropeptide in the regulation of reproduction. Together with neurokinin B and dynorphin A, arcuate kisspeptin provides the oscillatory activity that drives the pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and therefore luteinising hormone (LH) pulses, and is considered to be a central component of the GnRH pulse generator. It is well established that the amygdala also exerts an influence over gonadotrophic hormone secretion and reproductive physiology. The discovery of kisspeptin and its receptor within the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) and our recent finding showing that intra-MePD administration of kisspeptin or a kisspeptin receptor antagonist results in increased LH secretion and decreased LH pulse frequency, respectively, suggests an important role for amygdala kisspeptin signalling in the regulation of the GnRH pulse generator. To further investigate the function of amygdala kisspeptin, the present study used an optogenetic approach to selectively stimulate MePD kisspeptin neurones and examine the effect on pulsatile LH secretion. MePD kisspeptin neurones in conscious Kiss1-Cre mice were virally infected to express the channelrhodopsin 2 protein and selectively stimulated by light via a chronically implanted fibre optic cannula. Continuous stimulation using 5 Hz resulted in an increased LH pulse frequency, which was not observed at the lower stimulation frequencies of 0.5 and 2 Hz. In wild-type animals, continuous stimulation at 5 Hz did not affect LH pulse frequency. These results demonstrate that selective activation of MePD Kiss1 neurones can modulate hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator frequency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geffen Lass
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London Guy's Campus, London, UK
| | - Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London Guy's Campus, London, UK
| | - Ross A de Burgh
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London Guy's Campus, London, UK
| | - Wen He
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Kang
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shel Hwa-Yeo
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lydia C Sinnett-Smith
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen M Manchishi
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - William H Colledge
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stafford Louis Lightman
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, The Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London Guy's Campus, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
León S, Fergani C, Talbi R, Simavli S, Maguire CA, Gerutshang A, Navarro VM. Characterization of the Role of NKA in the Control of Puberty Onset and Gonadotropin Release in the Female Mouse. Endocrinology 2019; 160:2453-2463. [PMID: 31504389 PMCID: PMC6760301 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The tachykinin neurokinin B (NKB, Tac2) is critical for proper GnRH release in mammals, however, the role of the other tachykinins, such as substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in reproduction, is still not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that NKA controls the timing of puberty onset (similar to NKB and SP) and stimulates LH release in adulthood through NKB-independent (but kisspeptin-dependent) mechanisms in the presence of sex steroids. Furthermore, this is achieved, at least in part, through the autosynaptic activation of Tac1 neurons, which express NK2R (Tacr2), the receptor for NKA. Conversely, in the absence of sex steroids, as observed in ovariectomy, NKA inhibits LH through a mechanism that requires the presence of functional receptors for NKB and dynorphin (NK3R and KOR, respectively). Moreover, the ability of NKA to modulate LH secretion is absent in Kiss1KO mice, suggesting that its action occurs upstream of Kiss1 neurons. Overall, we demonstrate that NKA signaling is a critical component in the central control of reproduction, by contributing to the indirect regulation of kisspeptin release.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia León
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chrysanthi Fergani
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rajae Talbi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Serap Simavli
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caroline A Maguire
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Achi Gerutshang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Víctor M Navarro
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Correspondence: Víctor M. Navarro, PhD, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, Room 219, Boston, Massachusetts 02115. E-mail: .
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Spergel DJ. Modulation of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neuron Activity and Secretion in Mice by Non-peptide Neurotransmitters, Gasotransmitters, and Gliotransmitters. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:329. [PMID: 31178828 PMCID: PMC6538683 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuron activity and GnRH secretion are essential for fertility in mammals. Here, I review findings from mouse studies on the direct modulation of GnRH neuron activity and GnRH secretion by non-peptide neurotransmitters (GABA, glutamate, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine, histamine, ATP, adenosine, and acetylcholine), gasotransmitters (nitric oxide and carbon monoxide), and gliotransmitters (prostaglandin E2 and possibly GABA, glutamate, and ATP). These neurotransmitters, gasotransmitters, and gliotransmitters have been shown to directly modulate activity and/or GnRH secretion in GnRH neurons in vivo or ex vivo (brain slices), from postnatal through adult mice, or in embryonic or immortalized mouse GnRH neurons. However, except for GABA, nitric oxide, and prostaglandin E2, which appear to be essential for normal GnRH neuron activity, GnRH secretion, and fertility in males and/or females, the biological significance of their direct modulation of GnRH neuron activity and/or GnRH secretion in the central regulation of reproduction remains largely unknown and requires further exploration.
Collapse
|