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Li H, Chen X, Dong J, Liu R, Duan J, Huang M, Hu S, Lu J. A direct estrogenic involvement in the expression of human hypocretin. Life Sci 2024; 344:122581. [PMID: 38514004 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122581] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Hypocretin is synthesized exclusively in the hypothalamus and distributes inputs to several areas of the brain, which may play an important role in depression. Our previous study showed that hypocretin-1 was increased in the lateral hypothalamus in female patients with depression compared to female controls. Estrogen acts through estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ. We studied the possibility of a direct action of estrogen receptors on the expression of human hypocretin. We found that hypocretin-1 plasma levels were significantly higher in female patients with depression than in female controls. Female depression estrogen receptors and hypocretin are colocalized in the human lateral hypothalamus, PC12, and SK-N-SH cells. The estrogen receptor response elements (ERE) that exist in the hypocretin promoter region may directly regulate the gene expression of hypocretin. The synchronicity of change of hypocretin and estradiol both in hypothalamus and plasma was verified in female rats. In the presence of estradiol, specific binding occurs between the recombinant human ER and hypocretin-ERE. Expression of ER combined with estradiol repressed hypocretin promoter activity via the ERE. In conclusion, we found that estradiol may directly affect hypocretin neurons in the human hypothalamus via ER binding to the hypocretin-ERE, which may lead to the sex-specific pathogenesis of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haimei Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Psychiatry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
| | - Xinlu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, East Qingchun Road 3#, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China
| | - Jingyi Dong
- College of Life Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ripeng Liu
- College of First Clinical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jinfeng Duan
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Psychiatry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
| | - Manli Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Psychiatry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
| | - Shaohua Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Psychiatry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China.
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precision Psychiatry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China.
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Soejima Y, Iwata N, Nakayama N, Hirata S, Nakano Y, Yamamoto K, Suyama A, Oguni K, Nada T, Fujisawa S, Otsuka F. Mutual Effects of Orexin and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins on Gonadotropin Expression by Mouse Gonadotrope Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179782. [PMID: 36077179 PMCID: PMC9456022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Orexin plays a key role in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness and in feeding behavior in the central nervous system, but its receptors are expressed in various peripheral tissues including endocrine tissues. In the present study, we elucidated the effects of orexin on pituitary gonadotropin regulation by focusing on the functional involvement of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and clock genes using mouse gonadotrope LβT2 cells that express orexin type 1 (OX1R) and type 2 (OX2R) receptors. Treatments with orexin A enhanced LHβ and FSHβ mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner in the absence of GnRH, whereas orexin A in turn suppressed GnRH-induced gonadotropin expression in LβT2 cells. Orexin A downregulated GnRH receptor expression, while GnRH enhanced OX1R and OX2R mRNA expression. Treatments with orexin A as well as GnRH increased the mRNA levels of Bmal1 and Clock, which are oscillational regulators for gonadotropin expression. Of note, treatments with BMP-6 and -15 enhanced OX1R and OX2R mRNA expression with upregulation of clock gene expression. On the other hand, orexin A enhanced BMP receptor signaling of Smad1/5/9 phosphorylation through upregulation of ALK-2/BMPRII among the BMP receptors expressed in LβT2 cells. Collectively, the results indicate that orexin regulates gonadotropin expression via clock gene expression by mutually interacting with GnRH action and the pituitary BMP system in gonadotrope cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Soejima
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Nahoko Iwata
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Nanako Nakayama
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shinichi Hirata
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakano
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Koichiro Yamamoto
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Atsuhito Suyama
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Kohei Oguni
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Takahiro Nada
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fujisawa
- Department of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Fumio Otsuka
- Department of General Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-86-235-7342; Fax: +81-86-235-7345
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Dunietz GL, Vanini G, Shannon C, O'Brien LM, Chervin RD. Associations of plasma hypocretin-1 with metabolic and reproductive health: Two systematic reviews of clinical studies. Sleep Med Rev 2020; 52:101307. [PMID: 32259696 PMCID: PMC7351596 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The hypocretin system consists of two peptides hypocretin-1 and hypocretin-2 (HCRT1 and HCRT2). Hypocretin-containing neurons are located in the posterior and lateral hypothalamus, and have widespread projections throughout the brain and spinal cord. In addition to its presence in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peripheral HCRT1 has been detected in plasma. Robust experimental evidence demonstrates functions of hypothalamic-originated HCRT1 in regulation of multiple biological systems related to sleep-wake states, energy homeostasis and endocrine function. In contrast, HCRT1 studies with human participants are limited by the necessarily invasive assessment of CSF HCRT1 to patients with underlying morbidity. Regulation by HCRT1 of energy homeostasis and reproduction in animals suggests similar regulation in humans and prompts these two systematic reviews. These reviews translate prior experimental findings from animal studies to humans and examine associations between HCRT1 and: 1) metabolic risk factors; 2) reproductive function in men, women and children. A total of 21 studies and six studies met the inclusion criteria for the two searches, respectively. Research question, study design, study population, assessments of HCRT1, reproductive, cardiometabolic data and main findings were extracted. Associations between HCRT1, metabolic and reproductive function are inconsistent. Limitations of studies and future research directions are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galit L Dunietz
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Giancarlo Vanini
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Carol Shannon
- Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Louise M O'Brien
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Ronald D Chervin
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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Hosseini A, Khazali H. Central Orexin A Affects Reproductive Axis by Modulation of Hypothalamic Kisspeptin/Neurokinin B/Dynorphin Secreting Neurons in the Male Wistar Rats. Neuromolecular Med 2018; 20:525-536. [PMID: 30218420 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-018-8506-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
It is an established fact that orexin plays an important role in regulating the reproductive axis and the secretions of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinizing hormone (LH). However, its precise cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully recognized. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to find out whether the central injection of orexin A (OXA) and its antagonists, SB-334867 (as orexin receptor antagonist 1; OX1RA) and JNJ-10397049 (as orexin receptor antagonist 2; OX2RA), either alone or in combination, can leave any impact on the reproductive axis (either hormonal or behavioral) in the male Wistar rats. Furthermore, in order to see whether OXA signals can be relayed through the pathway of kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin (known as KNDy neurons, a neural network which works upstream of GnRH neurons) or not, the relative gene expression of these neuropeptides were measured. Overall, the data from radioimmunoassay revealed that OXA significantly decreases the mean serum level of LH and testosterone and, in a similar vein, its antagonists neutralize this impact. Moreover, data from real-time quantitative PCR indicated that OXA has significantly reduced the hypothalamic expression of Gnrh. In this line, the gene expressions of Kisspeptin and Neurokinin b decreased. However, OXA antagonists neutralize this impact. Also, the expression of Dynorphin gene was upregulated by the following application of the OXA. The results of this study are related to the impact of orexin on the reproductive axis. It is recommended that KNDy neurons as the interneural pathway relay the information of orexin to the GnRH neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdolkarim Hosseini
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Homayoun Khazali
- Department of Animal Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
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Fujita S, Hasegawa T, Nishiyama Y, Fujisawa S, Nakano Y, Nada T, Iwata N, Kamada Y, Masuyama H, Otsuka F. Interaction between orexin A and bone morphogenetic protein system on progesterone biosynthesis by rat granulosa cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 181:73-79. [PMID: 29545164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The involvement of orexins in reproductive function has been gradually uncovered. However, the functional role of orexins in ovarian steroidogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of orexin A on ovarian steroidogenesis by using rat primary granulosa cells that express both OX1 and OX2 receptors for orexins. Treatment with orexin A enhanced progesterone, but not estradiol, biosynthesis induced by FSH, whereas it did not affect basal levels of progesterone or estradiol. In accordance with the effects on steroidogenesis, orexin A increased the mRNA levels of progesterogenic enzymes, including StAR, P450scc and 3βHSD, but not P450arom, and cellular cAMP synthesis induced by FSH. Under the condition of blockage of endogenous BMP actions by noggin or BMP-signaling inhibitors, orexin A failed to increase levels of progesterone synthesis induced by FSH treatment, suggesting that endogenous BMP activity in granulosa cells might be involved in the enhancement of progesterone synthesis by orexin A. Treatment with orexin A impaired Smad1/5/9 activation as well as Id-1 mRNA expression stimulated by BMP-6 and BMP-7, the latter of which was reversed by treatment with an OX1 antagonist. It was also found that orexin A suppressed the mRNA expression of both type-I and -II receptors for BMPs and increased that of inhibitory Smad6 and Smad7 in granulosa cells. On the other hand, treatments with BMP-6 and -7 suppressed the expression of OX1 and OX2. Collectively, the results indicated that orexin A enhances FSH-induced progesterone production, at least in part, by downregulating BMP signaling in granulosa cells. Thus, a new role of orexin A in facilitating progesterone synthesis and functional interaction between the orexin and BMP systems in granulosa cells were revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiho Fujita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Toru Hasegawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yuki Nishiyama
- Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fujisawa
- Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakano
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Takahiro Nada
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Nahoko Iwata
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Kamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Hisashi Masuyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Fumio Otsuka
- Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
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Liguori G, Tafuri S, Miyoshi C, Yanagisawa M, Squillacioti C, De Pasquale V, Mirabella N, Vittoria A, Costagliola A. Localization of orexin B and orexin-2 receptor in the rat epididymis. Acta Histochem 2018; 120:292-297. [PMID: 29496265 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2018.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The peptides orexin A (OXA) and orexin B (OXB) derived from the proteolytic cleavage of a common precursor molecule, prepro-orexin, were originally described in the rat hypothalamus. Successively, they have been found in many other brain regions as well as in peripheral organs of mammals and other less evolved animals. The widespread localization of orexins accounts for the multiple activities that they exert in the body, including the regulation of energy homeostasis, feeding, metabolism, sleep and arousal, stress, addiction, and cardiovascular and endocrine functions. Both OXA and OXB peptides bind to two G-coupled receptors, orexin-1 (OX1R) and orexin-2 (OX2R) receptor, though with different binding affinity. Altered expression/activity of orexins and their receptors has been associated with a large number of human diseases. Though at present evidence highlighted a role for orexins and cognate receptors in mammalian reproduction, their central and/or local effects on gonadal functions remain poorly known. Here, we investigated the localization of OXB and OX2R in the rat epididymis. Immunohistochemical staining of sections from caput, corpus and cauda segments of the organ showed intense signals for both OXB and OX2R in the principal cells of the lining epithelium, while no staining was detected in the other cell types. Negative results were obtained from immunohistochemical analysis of hypothalamic and testicular tissues from OX2R knock-out mice (OX2R-/-) and OX1R/OX2R double knock-out (OX1R-/-; OX2R-/-) mice, thus demonstrating the specificity of the rabbit polyclonal anti-OX2R antibody used in our study. On contrary, the same antibody clearly showed the presence of OX2R in sections from hypothalamus and testis of normal mice and rats which are well known to express the receptor. Thus, our results provide the first definite evidence for the immunohistochemical localization of OXB and OX2R in the principal cells of rat epididymis.
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Liguori G, Pavone LM, Assisi L, Langella E, Tafuri S, Mirabella N, Costagliola A, Vittoria A. Expression of orexin B and its receptor 2 in rat testis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 242:66-73. [PMID: 26631456 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The peptides orexin A (OxA) and orexin B (OxB) deriving from a common precursor molecule, prepro-orexin, by proteolytic cleavage, bind the two G-coupled OX1 and OX2 receptors. While OX1 selectively binds OxA, OX2 shows similar affinity for both orexins. Firstly discovered in the hypothalamus, orexins and their receptors have been found in other brain regions as well as in peripheral tissues of mammals, thus resulting involved in the regulation of a broad variety of physiological functions. While the functional localization of OxA and OX1 in the mammalian genital tract has been already described, the expression of OxB and OX2 and their potential role in the reproductive functions remain to be explored. Here, we investigated the presence of OxB and OX2 in the rat testis by immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses. The results definitely demonstrated the localization of OxB and OX2 in pachytene and second spermatocytes as well as in spermatids at all stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. The expression of both OX2 mRNA and protein in the rat testis was also established by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The analysis of the molecular mechanism of action of OxB in the rat testis showed that OxB, in contrast with OxA, is unable to promote steroidogenesis. These results translate into the regulation of diverse biological actions by OxA and OxB in the male gonad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Liguori
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Michele Pavone
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Loredana Assisi
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 6, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Emilia Langella
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Simona Tafuri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Mirabella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Costagliola
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Vittoria
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy.
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Joshi D, Singh SK. Localization and expression of Orexin A and its receptor in mouse testis during different stages of postnatal development. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 241:50-56. [PMID: 27174745 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Orexin A (OXA), a hypothalamic neuropeptide, is involved in regulation of various biological functions and its actions are mediated through G-protein-coupled receptor, OX1R. This neuropeptide has emerged as a central neuroendocrine modulator of reproductive functions. Both OXA and OX1R have been shown to be expressed in peripheral organs such as gastrointestinal and genital tracts. In the present study, localization and expression of OXA and OX1R in mouse testis during different stages of postnatal development have been investigated. Immunohistochemical results demonstrated localization of OXA and OX1R in both the interstitial and the tubular compartments of the testis throughout the period of postnatal development. In testicular sections on 0day postpartum (dpp), gonocytes, Sertoli cells and foetal Leydig cells showed OXA and OX1R-immunopositive signals. At 10dpp, Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, early spermatocytes and Leydig cells showed immunopositive signals for both, the ligand and the receptor. On 30 and 90dpp, the spermatogonia, Sertoli cells, spermatocytes, spermatids and Leydig cells showed the OXA and OX1R-immunopositive signals. At 90dpp, strong OXA-positive signals were seen in Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes and spermatogonia, while OX1R-immunopositive intense signals were observed in Leydig cells and elongated spermatids. Further, semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses showed that OXA and OX1R were expressed in the testis both at transcript and protein levels during different stages of postnatal development. The expression of OXA and OX1R increased progressively from day of birth (0dpp) until adulthood (90dpp), with maximal expression at 90 dpp. The results suggest that OXA and OX1R are expressed in the testis and that they may help in proliferation and development of germ cells, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, and in the spermatogenic process and steroidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepanshu Joshi
- Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shio Kumar Singh
- Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Zhao Y, Singh C, Prober DA, Wayne NL. Morphological and Physiological Interactions Between GnRH3 and Hypocretin/Orexin Neuronal Systems in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Endocrinology 2016; 157:4012-4020. [PMID: 27533887 PMCID: PMC5045510 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
GnRH neurons integrate internal and external cues to control sexual maturation and fertility. Homeostasis of energy balance and food intake correlates strongly with the status of reproduction. Neuropeptides secreted by the hypothalamus involved in modulating energy balance and feeding may play additional roles in the regulation of reproduction. Hypocretin (Hcrt) (also known as orexin) is one such peptide, primarily controlling sleep/wakefulness, food intake, and reward processing. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that Hcrt/orexin (Hcrt) modulates reproduction through interacting with the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in mammals. To explore potential morphological and functional interactions between the GnRH and Hcrt neuronal systems, we employed a variety of experimental approaches including confocal imaging, immunohistochemistry, and electrophysiology in transgenic zebrafish, in which fluorescent proteins are genetically expressed in GnRH3 and Hcrt neurons. Our imaging data revealed close apposition and direct connection between GnRH3 and Hcrt neuronal systems in the hypothalamus during larval development through adulthood. Furthermore, the Hcrt receptor (HcrtR) is expressed in GnRH3 neurons. Electrophysiological data revealed a reversible inhibitory effect of Hcrt on GnRH3 neuron electrical activity, which was blocked by the HcrtR antagonist almorexant. In addition, Hcrt had no effect on the electrical activity of GnRH3 neurons in the HcrtR null mutant zebrafish (HcrtR-/-). Our findings demonstrate a close anatomical and functional relationship between Hcrt and GnRH neuronal systems in zebrafish. It is the first demonstration of a link between neuronal circuits controlling sleeping/arousal/feeding and reproduction in zebrafish, an important animal model for investigating the molecular genetics of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Zhao
- Department of Physiology (Y.Z., N.L.W.), David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (C.S., D.P.), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Chanpreet Singh
- Department of Physiology (Y.Z., N.L.W.), David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (C.S., D.P.), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - David A Prober
- Department of Physiology (Y.Z., N.L.W.), David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (C.S., D.P.), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Nancy L Wayne
- Department of Physiology (Y.Z., N.L.W.), David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (C.S., D.P.), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
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Chen Q, de Lecea L, Hu Z, Gao D. The hypocretin/orexin system: an increasingly important role in neuropsychiatry. Med Res Rev 2014; 35:152-97. [PMID: 25044006 DOI: 10.1002/med.21326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Hypocretins, also named as orexins, are excitatory neuropeptides secreted by neurons specifically located in lateral hypothalamus and perifornical areas. Orexinergic fibers are extensively distributed in various brain regions and involved in a number of physiological functions, such as arousal, cognition, stress, appetite, and metabolism. Arousal is the most important function of orexin system as dysfunction of orexin signaling leads to narcolepsy. In addition to narcolepsy, orexin dysfunction is associated with serious neural disorders, including addiction, depression, and anxiety. However, some results linking orexin with these disorders are still contradictory, which may result from differences of detection methods or the precision of tools used in measurements; strategies targeted to orexin system (e.g., antagonists to orexin receptors, gene delivery, and cell transplantation) are promising new tools for treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, though studies are still in a stage of preclinical or clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanhui Chen
- Department of Physiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Sleep and Psychology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
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Russo F, Maruccio L, Calamo A, de Girolamo P, Varricchio E. Orexin 1 receptor in the seminiferous tubules of boar testis: an immunohistochemical study. Acta Histochem 2014; 116:286-8. [PMID: 23746541 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2013.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Orexin receptor 1 (OX₁R) and orexin receptor 2 (OX₂R) are two G-protein-coupled receptors that bind their ligands, orexin A (OXA) and B (OXB), with different affinities. The male genital system represents an important target for OXA, which appears to play a role in the control of steroidogenesis and germ cell development in the testis. It is known that among domestic breeding animals, in the boar the number of Leydig cells is very high and OXA appears to have stimulatory activity on testosterone production. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the presence of OX₁R in the boar testis in order to extend our knowledge concerning the distribution and a potential functional role of the orexinergic system in the male reproductive tract of farm animals. The presence of OX₁R immunopositive cells in seminiferous tubules of the boar testis enables us to hypothesize a possible role of OXA on male germ cells cycle in pig. Further investigations, involving functional and ultrastructural analysis, may contribute to our understanding of the role of orexins in the boar genital system.
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Xu TR, Yang Y, Ward R, Gao L, Liu Y. Orexin receptors: Multi-functional therapeutic targets for sleeping disorders, eating disorders, drug addiction, cancers and other physiological disorders. Cell Signal 2013; 25:2413-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2013.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Álvarez-Crespo M, Martínez-Sánchez N, Ruíz-Pino F, Garcia-Lavandeira M, Alvarez CV, Tena-Sempere M, Nogueiras R, Diéguez C, López M. The orexigenic effect of orexin-A revisited: dependence of an intact growth hormone axis. Endocrinology 2013; 154:3589-98. [PMID: 23861376 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fifteen years ago orexins were identified as central regulators of energy homeostasis. Since then, that concept has evolved considerably and orexins are currently considered, besides orexigenic neuropeptides, key modulators of sleep-wake cycle and neuroendocrine function. Little is known, however, about the effect of the neuroendocrine milieu on orexins' effects on energy balance. We therefore investigated whether hypothalamic-pituitary axes have a role in the central orexigenic action of orexin A (OX-A) by centrally injecting hypophysectomized, adrenalectomized, gonadectomized (male and female), hypothyroid, and GH-deficient dwarf rats with OX-A. Our data showed that the orexigenic effect of OX-A is fully maintained in adrenalectomized and gonadectomized (females and males) rats, slightly reduced in hypothyroid rats, and totally abolished in hypophysectomized and dwarf rats when compared with their respective vehicle-treated controls. Of note, loss of the OX-A effect on feeding was associated with a blunted OX-A-induced increase in the expression of either neuropeptide Y or its putative regulator, the transcription factor cAMP response-element binding protein, as well as its phosphorylated form, in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus of hypophysectomized and dwarf rats. Overall, this evidence suggests that the orexigenic action of OX-A depends on an intact GH axis and that this neuroendocrine feedback loop may be of interest in the understanding of orexins action on energy balance and GH deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayte Álvarez-Crespo
- Department of Physiology, CIMUS, University of Santiago de Compostela-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain and CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), 15706, Spain.
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Wang W, Pan Y, Li Q, Wang L. Orexin: a potential role in the process of obstructive sleep apnea. Peptides 2013; 42:48-54. [PMID: 23313149 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2013.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Revised: 12/28/2012] [Accepted: 01/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complicated disease with an unrecognized mechanism. Obesity, sex, age, and smoking have been found to be independent correlates of OSA. Orexin (also named hypocretin) mainly secreted by lateral hypothalamus neurons has a wide array of biological functions like regulating sleep, energy levels and breathing. Several clinical studies found ties between orexin and OSA. Because of the close correlation between orexin and obesity, sex, age and smoking (which are the key risk factors for OSA patients), we hypothesize that orexin may play a key role in the pathogenesis of OSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Department of Orthodontics, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
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Navarro VM. Interactions between kisspeptins and neurokinin B. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2013; 784:325-47. [PMID: 23550013 PMCID: PMC3858905 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6199-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive function is tightly regulated by an intricate network of central and peripheral factors; however, the precise mechanism triggering critical reproductive events, such as puberty onset, remains largely unknown. Recently, the neuropeptides kisspeptin (encoded by Kiss1) and neurokinin B (NKB, encoded by TAC3 in humans and Tac2 in rodents) have been placed as essential gatekeepers of puberty. Studies in humans and rodents have revealed that loss-of-function mutations in the genes encoding either kisspeptin and NKB or their receptors, Kiss1r and neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R), lead to impaired sexual maturation and infertility. Kisspeptin, NKB, and dynorphin A are co-expressed in neurons of the arcuate nucleus (ARC), so-called Kisspeptin/NKB/Dyn (KNDy) neurons. Importantly, these neurons also co-express NK3R. Compelling evidence suggests a stimulatory role of NKB (or the NK3R agonist, senktide) on LH release in a number of species. This effect is likely mediated by autosynaptic inputs of NKB on KNDy neurons to induce the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a kisspeptin--dependent manner, with the coordinated actions of other neuroendocrine factors, such as dynorphin, glutamate, or GABA. Thus, we have proposed a model in which NKB feeds back to the KNDy neuron to shape the pulsatile release of kisspeptin, and hence GnRH, in a mechanism also dependent on the sex steroid level. Additionally, NKB may contribute to the regulation of the reproductive function by metabolic cues. Investigating how NKB and kisspeptin interact to regulate the gonadotropic axis will offer new insights into the control of GnRH release during puberty onset and the maintenance of the reproductive function in adulthood, offering a platform for the understanding and treatment of a number of reproductive disorders.
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Kukkonen JP. Physiology of the orexinergic/hypocretinergic system: a revisit in 2012. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2012; 304:C2-32. [PMID: 23034387 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00227.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptides orexins and their G protein-coupled receptors, OX(1) and OX(2), were discovered in 1998, and since then, their role has been investigated in many functions mediated by the central nervous system, including sleep and wakefulness, appetite/metabolism, stress response, reward/addiction, and analgesia. Orexins also have peripheral actions of less clear physiological significance still. Cellular responses to the orexin receptor activity are highly diverse. The receptors couple to at least three families of heterotrimeric G proteins and other proteins that ultimately regulate entities such as phospholipases and kinases, which impact on neuronal excitation, synaptic plasticity, and cell death. This article is a 10-year update of my previous review on the physiology of the orexinergic/hypocretinergic system. I seek to provide a comprehensive update of orexin physiology that spans from the molecular players in orexin receptor signaling to the systemic responses yet emphasizing the cellular physiological aspects of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyrki P Kukkonen
- Dept. of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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Ruiz-Pino F, Navarro VM, Bentsen AH, Garcia-Galiano D, Sanchez-Garrido MA, Ciofi P, Steiner RA, Mikkelsen JD, Pinilla L, Tena-Sempere M. Neurokinin B and the control of the gonadotropic axis in the rat: developmental changes, sexual dimorphism, and regulation by gonadal steroids. Endocrinology 2012; 153:4818-29. [PMID: 22822161 PMCID: PMC3512006 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neurokinin B (NKB), encoded by Tac2 in rodents, and its receptor, NK3R, have recently emerged as important regulators of reproduction; NKB has been proposed to stimulate kisspeptin output onto GnRH neurons. Accordingly, NKB has been shown to induce gonadotropin release in several species; yet, null or even inhibitory effects of NKB have been also reported. The basis for these discrepant findings, as well as other key aspects of NKB function, remains unknown. We report here that in the rat, LH responses to the NK3R agonist, senktide, display a salient sexual dimorphism, with persistent stimulation in females, regardless of the stage of postnatal development, and lack of LH responses in males from puberty onward. Such dimorphism was independent of the predominant sex steroid after puberty, because testosterone administration to adult females failed to prevent LH responses to senktide, and LH responsiveness was not restored in adult males treated with estradiol or the nonaromatizable androgen, dihydrotestosterone. Yet, removal of sex steroids by gonadectomy switched senktide effects to inhibitory, both in adult male and female rats. Sexual dimorphism was also evident in the numbers of NKB-positive neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), which were higher in adult female rats. This is likely the result of differences in sex steroid milieu during early periods of brain differentiation, because neonatal exposures to high doses of estrogen decreased ARC NKB neurons at later developmental stages. Likewise, neonatal estrogenization resulted in lower serum LH levels that were normalized by senktide administration. Finally, we document that the ability of estrogen to inhibit hypothalamic Tac2 expression seems region specific, because estrogen administration decreased Tac2 levels in the ARC but increased them in the lateral hypothalamus. Altogether, our data provide a deeper insight into relevant aspects of NKB function as major regulator of the gonadotropic axis in the rat, including maturational changes, sexual dimorphism, and differential regulation by sex steroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Ruiz-Pino
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain
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Effects of orexins A and B on expression of orexin receptors and progesterone release in luteal and granulosa ovarian cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 178:56-63. [PMID: 22749989 DOI: 10.1016/j.regpep.2012.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 03/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Orexin-A and orexin-B are neuropeptides controlling sleep-wakefulness, feeding and neuroendocrine functions via their G protein-coupled receptors, orexin-1R and orexin-2R. They are synthesized in the lateral hypothalamus and project throughout the brain. Orexins and orexin receptors have also been described outside the brain. Previously we demonstrated the presence of both receptors in the ovary, their increased expression during proestrous afternoon and the dependence on the gonadotropins. Here we studied the effects of orexins on the mRNA expression of both receptors, by quantitative real-time PCR, on luteal cells from superovulated rat ovaries and granulosa cells from diethylstilbestrol-treated rat ovaries. Effects on progesterone secretion were also measured. In luteal cells, 1 nM of either orexin-A or orexin-B decreased progesterone secretion. Orexin-A treatment increased expression of both orexin-1R and orexin-2R mRNA. The effect on orexin-1R mRNA expression was abolished by an orexin-1R selective receptor antagonist SB-334867 and the effect on orexin-2R mRNA expression was abolished by a selective orexin-2R antagonist JNJ-10397049. Orexin-B did not modify orexin-1R mRNA expression, but increased orexin-2R mRNA expression. The effect of orexin-B on orexin-2R was abolished by a selective orexin-2R antagonist. Neither the expression of orexin receptors nor progesterone secretions by granulosa cells were affected by orexins. FSH, as positive control, increased both steroid hormones secretion, but did not induce the expression of OX receptors in granulosa cells isolated from late preantral/early antral follicles. Finally in ovaries obtained immediately after sacrifice, the expression of orexin-1R and orexin-2R was higher in superovulated rat ovaries compared to control or diethylstilbestrol treated rat ovaries. A selective presence and function of both orexinergic receptors in luteal and granulosa cells is described, suggesting that the orexinergic system may have a functional role in the ovary.
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Novel localization of orexin A in the tubular cytotypes of the rat testis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 164:53-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.regpep.2010.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2010] [Revised: 05/28/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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