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Kaiser M, Jaillardon L. Pathogenesis of the crosstalk between reproductive function and stress in animals-part 1: Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympatho-adrenomedullary system and kisspeptin. Reprod Domest Anim 2023; 58 Suppl 2:176-183. [PMID: 37724657 DOI: 10.1111/rda.14444] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Stress is defined as a disruption of the body homeostasis in response to modest as well as perceived challenge. Two main physiological routes, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA) and the sympatho-adrenomedullary system (SAM), aim to maintain or restore homeostasis by mutual interaction. SAM is quickly-reacting as it primarily works through the nervous system-the sympathetic nervous system. In response to stress, signals are sent to activate the adrenal medulla which releases catecholamines (primarily adrenaline and norepinephrine). The catecholamines have a momentary effect on the body's organs that are prepared for a fight situation. At the same time, the stressor activates the HPA axis by signals from the brain causing secretion of the pituitary hormone adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH acts on the adrenal cortex, which secretes glucocorticoids, including cortisol. Since HPA primarily works through hormones, the system is slightly slower than SAM and gives rise to a metabolic effect. While short-term stress response is an adaptive and beneficial process, chronic or excessive stress can lead to a range of negative health outcomes including reproductive disorders and infertility. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the link between stress and reproduction. This includes in particular kisspeptin, which is closely related to reproduction, as it is a powerful stimulator of the Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) system. The present review, through current knowledge in various male and female species, deals with the role of the SAM and the HPA, including the major action of kisspeptin and glucocorticoids that trigger the consequences of psychological or physiological stress on reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Kaiser
- Management and Modelling, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Laetitia Jaillardon
- Oniris, LabOniris, Nantes Atlantic National College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Sciences and Engineering, Nantes, France
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Park CJ, Minabe S, Hess RA, Lin PCP, Zhou S, Bashir ST, Barakat R, Gal A, Ko CJ. Single neonatal estrogen implant sterilizes female animals by decreasing hypothalamic KISS1 expression. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9627. [PMID: 37316510 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36727-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive sterilization by surgical gonadectomy is strongly advocated to help manage animal populations, especially domesticated pets, and to prevent reproductive behaviors and diseases. This study explored the use of a single-injection method to induce sterility in female animals as an alternative to surgical ovariohysterectomy. The idea was based on our recent finding that repetitive daily injection of estrogen into neonatal rats disrupted hypothalamic expression of Kisspeptin (KISS1), the neuropeptide that triggers and regulates pulsatile secretion of GnRH. Neonatal female rats were dosed with estradiol benzoate (EB) either by daily injections for 11 days or by subcutaneous implantation of an EB-containing silicone capsule designed to release EB over 2-3 weeks. Rats treated by either method did not exhibit estrous cyclicity, were anovulatory, and became infertile. The EB-treated rats had fewer hypothalamic Kisspeptin neurons, but the GnRH-LH axis remained responsive to Kisspeptin stimulation. Because it would be desirable to use a biodegradable carrier that is also easier to handle, an injectable EB carrier was developed from PLGA microspheres to provide pharmacokinetics comparable to the EB-containing silicone capsule. A single neonatal injection of EB-microspheres at an equivalent dosage resulted in sterility in the female rat. In neonatal female Beagle dogs, implantation of an EB-containing silicone capsule also reduced ovarian follicle development and significantly inhibited KISS1 expression in the hypothalamus. None of the treatments produced any concerning health effects, other than infertility. Therefore, further development of this technology for sterilization in domestic female animals, such as dogs and cats is worthy of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chan Jin Park
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Shiori Minabe
- Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
| | - Rex A Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Po-Ching Patrick Lin
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | | | - Shah Tauseef Bashir
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Radwa Barakat
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
- Department of Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Qalyubia, 13518, Egypt
| | - Arnon Gal
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - CheMyong Jay Ko
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA.
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA.
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Ludwig M, Newton C, Pieters A, Homer NZM, Feng Li X, O'Byrne KT, Millar RP. Provocative tests with Kisspeptin-10 and GnRH set the scene for determining social status and environmental impacts on reproductive capacity in male African lions (Panthera leo). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 329:114127. [PMID: 36150474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the hypothalamic factors regulating reproduction facilitates maximising the reproductive success of breeding programmes and in the management and conservation of threatened species, including African lions. To provide insight into the physiology and pathophysiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal reproductive axis in lions, we studied the luteinising hormone (LH) and steroid hormone responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its upstream regulator, kisspeptin. Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study. Lions were immobilised with a combination of medetomidine and ketamine and an intravenous catheter was placed in a jugular, cephalic or medial saphenous vein for blood sampling at 10-min intervals for 220 min. The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Basal LH levels were similarly low between the age groups, but testosterone and its precursor levels were higher in the adult animals. Adult lions showed a significant LH response to KP-10 (10-fold) and GnRH (11-fold) administration (p < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) whereas in young lions LH increased significantly only in response to GnRH. In adults alone, testosterone and its precursors steadily increased in response to KP-10, with no significant further increase in response to GnRH. Plasma levels of glucocorticoids in response to KP-10 remained unchanged. We suggest that provocative testing of LH and steroid stimulation with kisspeptin provides a new and sensitive tool for determining reproductive status and possibly an index of exposure to stress, environmental insults such as disease, endocrine disruptors and nutritional status. 272 words.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Ludwig
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Claire Newton
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ané Pieters
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Natalie Z M Homer
- BHF/University Centre for Cardiovascular Science and Mass Spectrometry Core, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert P Millar
- Department of Immunology, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Chen X, Huang L, Cui L, Xiao Z, Xiong X, Chen C. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor ameliorates high fat diet-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis disorders. J Physiol 2022; 600:4549-4568. [PMID: 36048516 PMCID: PMC9826067 DOI: 10.1113/jp283259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
High-fat diet (HFD) consumption is known to be associated with ovulatory disorders among women of reproductive age. Previous studies in animal models suggest that HFD-induced microglia activation contributes to hypothalamic inflammation. This causes the dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis, leading to subfertility. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of lipid-soluble antidiabetic drugs that target primarily the early proximal tubules in kidney. Recent evidence revealed an additional expression site of SGLT2 in the central nervous system (CNS), indicating a promising role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the CNS. In type 2 diabetes patients and rodent models, SGLT2 inhibitors exhibit neuroprotective properties through reduction of oxidative stress, alleviation of cerebral atherosclerosis and suppression of microglia-induced neuroinflammation. Furthermore, clinical observations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) demonstrated that SGLT2 inhibitors ameliorated patient anthropometric parameters, body composition and insulin resistance. Therefore, it is of importance to explore the central mechanism of SGLT2 inhibitors in the recovery of reproductive function in patients with PCOS and obesity. Here, we review the hypothalamic inflammatory mechanisms of HFD-induced microglial activation, with a focus on the clinical utility and possible mechanism of SGLT2 inhibitors in promoting reproductive fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Chen
- Department of EndocrinologyRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Lili Huang
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ling Cui
- Department of Reproduction and InfertilityChengdu Women's and Children's Central HospitalSchool of MedicineUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Zhuoni Xiao
- Reproductive Medical CenterRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xiaoxing Xiong
- Department of NeurosurgeryRenmin Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Biomedical ScienceUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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Santos LC, Dos Anjos Cordeiro JM, Santana LDS, Barbosa EM, Santos BR, da Silva TQM, de Souza SS, Corrêa JMX, Lavor MSL, da Silva EB, Silva JF. Expression profile of the Kisspeptin/Kiss1r system and angiogenic and immunological mediators in the ovary of cyclic and pregnant cats. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2022; 78:106650. [PMID: 34399365 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2021.106650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The Kisspeptin/Kiss1r system has been studied in mammalian ovaries. However, there are still no studies on the modulation of this system and its relationship with angiogenic and immunological mediators in the ovary of domestic cats, especially during pregnancy. We evaluated the expression of Kisspeptin/Kiss1r and angiogenic and immunological mediators during folliculogenesis, luteogenesis and luteal regression of cyclic and pregnant cats. The ovary exhibited moderate to intense expression for Kiss1, VEGF, Flk-1, INFγ and MIF in oocytes and the follicular wall, while Kiss1r expression was low in granulosa cells. In these cells, there was also a greater expression of Kiss1, INFγ and MIF, mainly in secondary follicles, while tertiary and preovulatory follicles exhibited greater expression of VEGF and Flk-1 in this layer. In luteogenesis, Kiss1 immunostaining was higher in mature corpora lutea (MCL) of pregnant cats compared to vacuolated CL (VCL) and corpus albicans (CA). Pregnancy also increased the luteal gene expression of Kiss1 as well as Kiss1, Kiss1r, Flk-1, and MIF immunostaining in MCL, while reduced the area of VEGF expression in VCL and luteal mRNA expression of Mif when compared to non-pregnant animals. In addition, positive gene correlation between Kiss1r and Mif was observed in the CL. Kiss1, Kiss1r, Vegf and Mif expression were lower in the CA of cats in anestrus. These findings reveal that the expression of Kisspeptin/Kiss1r and angiogenic and immunological mediators, in the ovary of domestic cats, depend on the follicular and luteal stage, and the luteal expression of these mediators is influenced by pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Cardoso Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | | | - Larissa da Silva Santana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Erikles Macêdo Barbosa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Bianca Reis Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Thayná Queiroz Menezes da Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Sophia Saraiva de Souza
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Hospital Veterinario, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Janaina Maria Xavier Corrêa
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Hospital Veterinario, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Mário Sergio Lima Lavor
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Hospital Veterinario, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Elisângela Barboza da Silva
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Hospital Veterinario, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil
| | - Juneo Freitas Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centro de Microscopia Eletronica, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900, Ilheus, Brazil.
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Hrabovszky E, Takács S, Rumpler É, Skrapits K. The human hypothalamic kisspeptin system: Functional neuroanatomy and clinical perspectives. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 180:275-296. [PMID: 34225935 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820107-7.00017-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, kisspeptin neurons are the key components of the hypothalamic neuronal networks that regulate the onset of puberty, account for the pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and mediate negative and positive estrogen feedback signals to GnRH neurons. Being directly connected anatomically and functionally to the hypophysiotropic GnRH system, the major kisspeptin cell groups of the preoptic area/rostral hypothalamus and the arcuate (or infundibular) nucleus, respectively, are ideally positioned to serve as key nodes which integrate various types of environmental, endocrine, and metabolic signals that can influence fertility. This chapter provides an overview of the current state of knowledge on the anatomy, functions, and plasticity of brain kisspeptin systems based on the wide literature available from different laboratory and domestic species. Then, the species-specific features of human hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons are described, covering their topography, morphology, unique neuropeptide content, plasticity, and connectivity to hypophysiotropic GnRH neurons. Some newly emerging roles of central kisspeptin signaling in behavior and finally, clinical perspectives, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Hrabovszky
- Laboratory of Reproductive Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Szabolcs Takács
- Laboratory of Reproductive Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Rumpler
- Laboratory of Reproductive Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Skrapits
- Laboratory of Reproductive Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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