scholarly journals The neuroendocrine timing of puberty

Reproduction ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 675-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis J P Ebling
Keyword(s):  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Somatic Development ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone ◽  
Timing Of Puberty ◽  
Species Specific

Puberty is the attainment of fertility, a process encompassing morphological, physiological and behavioural development. The increased hypothalamic secretion of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone decapeptide (GnRH) is essential for the activation of the pituitary–gonadal axis at puberty. The GnRH secretory network initially develops and is temporarily active during species-specific periods of fetal/neonatal development, so puberty is the secondary reactivation of an existing system. From a neurobiological perspective, the timing of puberty is therefore a function of changes in the neural systems controlling GnRH release. The large variability between individuals in the onset and progression of puberty indicates that the timing of puberty is not simply a function of chronological age. Rather, the neurotransmitter and neuromodulatory systems that impact upon the GnRH secretory network convey information about metabolic fuels, energy stores and somatic development and, for many species, information about season and social environment. The clear links demonstrated between metabolic fuel availability and reproductive function in many animal models provides evidence that the earlier onset of pubertal development observed in girls in certain US study populations is likely to relate to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents.

scholarly journals Prenatal programming of the female reproductive neuroendocrine system by androgens

Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 132 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
The Neural Network ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Steroid Sensitive ◽  
Neuroendocrine Axis ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Male Hormones ◽  
The Brain

It has been clear for several decades that the areas of the brain that control reproductive function are sexually dimorphic and that the ‘programming actions’ of the male gonadal steroids are responsible for sex-specific release of the gonadotrophins from the pituitary gland. The administration of exogenous steroids to fetal/neonatal animals has pinpointed windows of time in an animals’ development when the reproductive neuroendocrine axis is responsive to the organisational influences of androgens. These ‘critical’ periods for sexual differentiation of the brain are trait- and species-specific. The neural network regulating the activity of the gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurones is vital to the control of reproductive function. It appears that early exposure to androgens does not influence the migratory pathway of the GnRH neurone from the olfactory placode or the size of the population of neurones that colonise the postnatal hypothalamus. However, androgens do influence the number and the nature of connections that these neurones make with other neural phenotypes. Gonadal steroid hormones play key roles in the regulation of GnRH release acting largely via steroid-sensitive intermediary neurones that impinge on the GnRH cells. Certain populations of hormonally responsive neurones have been identified that are sexually dimorphic and project from hypothalamic areas known to be involved in the regulation of GnRH release. These neurones are excellent candidates for the programming actions of male hormones in the reproductive neuroendocrine axis of the developing female.

scholarly journals Influences of manganese on pubertal development

2017 ◽  
Vol 235 (1) ◽  
pp. R33-R42 ◽  
Author(s):  
William L Dees ◽  
Jill K Hiney ◽  
Vinod K Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Luteinizing Hormone ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Hypothalamic Region ◽  
Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Timing Of Puberty ◽  
Environmental Element ◽  
The Brain

The onset of puberty is the result of complex neuroendocrine interactions within hypothalamic region of the brain, as well as from genetic and environmental influences. These interactions ultimately result in the increased synthesis and release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Manganese (Mn) is an essential environmental element known for years to be involved in numerous mammalian physiological processes, including growth and reproductive function. Studies in recent years have shown the ability of Mn to cross the blood–brain barrier and act within the hypothalamus to influence the timing of puberty. This review will depict research showing the molecular and physiological actions of Mn in the control of prepubertal LHRH and discuss the potential for the element to cause either helpful or harmful outcomes on the developmental process depending upon the age and accumulation of Mn within the hypothalamus.

scholarly journals Distinct Mechanisms Involving Diverse Histone Deacetylases Repress Expression of the Two Gonadotropin β-Subunit Genes in Immature Gonadotropes, and Their Actions Are Overcome by Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 4105-4120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Lim ◽  
Min Luo ◽  
Mingshi Koh ◽  
Meng Yang ◽  
Mohammed Nizam bin Abdul Kadir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Histone Deacetylases ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Releasing Hormone ◽  
Calcium Calmodulin Dependent ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Reproductive Cycles ◽  
Class Iia Hdacs

ABSTRACT The gonadotropins luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are produced in the embryonic pituitary in response to delivery of the hypothalamic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH has a pivotal role in reestablishing gonadotropin levels at puberty in primates, and for many species with extended reproductive cycles, these are reinitiated in response to central nervous system-induced GnRH release. Thus, a clear role is evident for GnRH in overcoming repression of these genes. Although the mechanisms through which GnRH actively stimulates LH and FSH β-subunit (FSHβ) gene transcription have been described in some detail, there is currently no information on how GnRH overcomes repression in order to terminate reproductively inactive stages. We show here that GnRH overcomes histone deacetylase (HDAC)-mediated repression of the gonadotropin β-subunit genes in immature gonadotropes. The repressive factors associated with each of these genes comprise distinct sets of HDACs and corepressors which allow for differentially regulated derepression of these two genes, produced in the same cell by the same regulatory hormone. We find that GnRH activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI) plays a crucial role in the derepression of the FSHβ gene involving phosphorylation of several class IIa HDACs associated with both the FSHβ and Nur77 genes, and we propose a model for the mechanisms involved. In contrast, derepression of the LH β-subunit gene is not CaMK dependent. This demonstration of HDAC-mediated repression of these genes could explain the temporal shut-down of reproductive function at certain periods of the life cycle, which can easily be reversed by the actions of the hypothalamic regulatory hormone.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Role of NKA in the Control of Puberty Onset and Gonadotropin Release in the Female Mouse

Endocrinology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 160 (10) ◽  
pp. 2453-2463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia León ◽  
Chrysanthi Fergani ◽  
Rajae Talbi ◽  
Serap Simavli ◽  
Caroline A Maguire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Neurokinin A ◽  
Central Control ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Lh Release ◽  
Timing Of Puberty ◽  
Puberty Onset ◽  
Lh Secretion

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.

scholarly journals The neurobiology of food intake in an obesogenic environment

2012 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Rudolf Berthoud
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Food Cues ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Modes Of Interaction ◽  
External Signals

The objective of this non-systematic review of the literature is to highlight some of the neural systems and pathways that are affected by the various intake-promoting aspects of the modern food environment and explore potential modes of interaction between core systems such as hypothalamus and brainstem primarily receptive to internal signals of fuel availability and forebrain areas such as the cortex, amygdala and meso-corticolimbic dopamine system, primarily processing external signals. The modern lifestyle with its drastic changes in the way we eat and move puts pressure on the homoeostatic system responsible for the regulation of body weight, which has led to an increase in overweight and obesity. The power of food cues targeting susceptible emotions and cognitive brain functions, particularly of children and adolescents, is increasingly exploited by modern neuromarketing tools. Increased intake of energy-dense foods high in fat and sugar is not only adding more energy, but may also corrupt neural functions of brain systems involved in nutrient sensing as well as in hedonic, motivational and cognitive processing. It is concluded that only long-term prospective studies in human subjects and animal models with the capacity to demonstrate sustained over-eating and development of obesity are necessary to identify the critical environmental factors as well as the underlying neural systems involved. Insights from these studies and from modern neuromarketing research should be increasingly used to promote consumption of healthy foods.

scholarly journals Overexpression of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons Disrupts Migratory Fate and Female Reproductive Function in Mice

Endocrinology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 144 (6) ◽  
pp. 2566-2579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Heger ◽  
Marianne Seney ◽  
Elizabeth Bless ◽  
Gerald A. Schwarting ◽  
Marie Bilger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Normal Values ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Transgenic Animals ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Gaba Production ◽  
Gnrh Neurons ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
The Brain

Abstract γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibits the embryonic migration of GnRH neurons and regulates hypothalamic GnRH release. A subset of GnRH neurons expresses GABA along their migratory route in the nasal compartment before entering the brain, suggesting that GABA produced by GnRH neurons may help regulate the migratory process. To examine this hypothesis and the possibility that persistence of GABA production by GnRH neurons may affect subsequent reproductive function, we generated transgenic mice in which the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67), a key enzyme in GABA synthesis, is targeted to GnRH neurons under the control of the GnRH gene promoter. On embryonic d 15, when GnRH neurons are still migrating, the transgenic animals had more GnRH neurons in aberrant locations in the cerebral cortex and fewer neurons reaching the hypothalamic-preoptic region, whereas migration into the brain was not affected. Hypothalamic GnRH content in mutant mice was low during the first week of postnatal life, increasing to normal values during infantile development (second week after birth) in the presence of increased pulsatile GnRH release. Consistent with these changes, serum LH and FSH levels were also elevated. Gonadotropin release returned to normal values by the time steroid negative feedback became established (fourth week of life). Ovariectomy at this time demonstrated an enhanced gonadotropin response in transgenic animals. Although the onset of puberty, as assessed by the age at vaginal opening and first ovulation, was not affected in the mutant mice, estrous cyclicity and adult reproductive capacity were disrupted. Mutant mice had reduced litter sizes, increased time intervals between deliveries of litters, and a shorter reproductive life span. Thus, GABA produced within GnRH neurons does not delay GnRH neuronal migration, but instead serves as a developmental cue that increases the positional diversity of these neurons within the basal forebrain. In addition, the results suggest that the timely termination of GABA production within the GnRH neuronal network is a prerequisite for normal reproductive function. The possibility arises that similar abnormalities in GABA homeostasis may contribute to syndromes of hypothalamic amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea in humans.

scholarly journals Kisspeptin cell-specific PI3K signaling regulates hypothalamic kisspeptin expression and participates in the regulation of female fertility

2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (11) ◽  
pp. E969-E982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Beymer ◽  
Ariel L. Negrón ◽  
Guiqin Yu ◽  
Samuel Wu ◽  
Christian Mayer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Pi3k Signaling ◽  
Catalytic Subunits ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Estrous Cyclicity ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Specific Deletion

Hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons integrate and translate cues from the internal and external environments that regulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and maintain fertility in mammals. However, the intracellular signaling pathways utilized to translate such information into changes in kisspeptin expression, release, and ultimately activation of the kisspeptin-receptive GnRH network have not yet been identified. PI3K is an important signaling node common to many peripheral factors known to regulate kisspeptin expression and GnRH release. We investigated whether PI3K signaling regulates hypothalamic kisspeptin expression, pubertal development, and adult fertility in mice. We generated mice with a kisspeptin cell-specific deletion of the PI3K catalytic subunits p110α and p110β (kiss-p110α/β-KO). Using in situ hybridization, we examined Kiss1 mRNA expression in gonad-intact, gonadectomized (Gdx), and Gdx + steroid-replaced mice. Kiss1 cell number in the anteroventral periventricular hypothalamus (AVPV) was significantly reduced in intact females but not in males. In contrast, compared with WT and regardless of steroid hormone status, Kiss1 cell number was lower in the arcuate (ARC) of kiss-p110α/β-KO males, but it was unaffected in females. Both intact Kiss-p110α/β-KO males and females had reduced ARC kisspeptin-immunoreactive (IR) fibers compared with WT animals. Adult kiss-p110α/β-KO males had significantly lower circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, whereas pubertal development and fertility were unaffected in males. Kiss-p110α/β-KO females exhibited a reduction in fertility despite normal pubertal development, LH levels, and estrous cyclicity. Our data show that PI3K signaling is important for the regulation of hypothalamic kisspeptin expression and contributes to normal fertility in females.

scholarly journals Menopausal Increases in Pulsatile Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Release in a Nonhuman Primate (Macaca mulatta)

Endocrinology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 145 (10) ◽  
pp. 4653-4659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea C. Gore ◽  
Bret M. Windsor-Engnell ◽  
Ei Terasawa
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Pulse Frequency ◽  
Follicular Phase ◽  
Menopausal Transition ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Pulsatile Gnrh ◽  
Direct Demonstration ◽  
Gnrh Release ◽  
Early Follicular Phase

Abstract Reproductive function in all vertebrates is controlled by the circhoral release of the neuropeptide, GnRH, into the portal capillary system leading to the anterior pituitary. Despite its primary role in sexual maturation and the maintenance of adult reproductive function, changes in the concentrations and pattern of GnRH release have not yet been reported in any primate species during the menopausal transition and postmenopause. Such knowledge is essential for ascertaining both the mechanisms for, and consequences of, the menopausal process. Here we used a push-pull perfusion method to measure and compare the parameters of pulsatile GnRH release in adult rhesus monkeys at 8.4 ± 1.5 yr (young adult females, early follicular phase, n = 6) and 28.8 ± 0.3 yr (aged females, n = 4, of which two monkeys were in the menopausal transition, and two were postmenopausal). Our results demonstrate that: 1) GnRH release is pulsatile in both young and aged monkeys; 2) mean concentrations of GnRH increase during reproductive aging; and 3) GnRH pulse frequency does not differ between aged monkeys and young monkeys in the early follicular phase. We conclude that not only do GnRH neurons have the continued capacity to release GnRH in a pulsatile manner but also they can do so with enhanced GnRH levels in aged primates. To our knowledge, this is the first direct demonstration of elevated pulsatile GnRH concentrations in a primate species during reproductive senescence, a result that may have implications for menopausal symptoms.

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