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Expression of GnRH and Kisspeptin in Primary Cultures of Fetal Rat Brain

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Abstract

Genetic studies in humans or in vivo studies using animals have shown that kisspeptin released from the hypothalamus controls secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from GnRH neurons, and subsequently GnRH induces gonadotropin secretion from the anterior pituitary. Kisspeptindid not stimulate GnRH expression in the GnRH-producing cell line GT1–7. Thus, we cultured GnRH and kisspeptin neurons from whole fetal rat brain and examined the regulation of GnRH and kisspeptin. Expression of GnRH messenger RNA (mRNA) was unchanged by estradiol (E2) treatment in these primary cultures. In contrast, kisspeptin mRNA expression was increased 2. 00 + 0. 23-fold by E2 treatment. When these cultures were stimulated by kisspeptin-10, GnRH mRNA was significantly increased up to 1. 51 + 0. 35-fold. Expression of GnRH mRNA was also stimulated 1. 84 + 0. 33-fold by GnRH itself. Interestingly, kisspeptin mRNA was significantly increased up to 2. 43 + 0. 40-fold by kisspeptin alone. In addition, kisspeptin mRNA expression was significantly increased by stimulation with GnRH (1. 46 + 0. 21-fold). Our observations demonstrated that kisspeptin, but not GnRH, was upregulated by E2 and that kisspeptin stimulates GnRH mRNA expression in primary cultures of whole fetal rat brain. Furthermore, GnRH and kisspeptin stimulate their own neurons to produce GnRH or kisspeptin, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan

    Unurjargal Sukhbaatar MD PhD, Haruhiko Kanasaki MD PhD, Tselmeg Mijiddorj MD PhD, Aki Oride MD PhD, Tomomi Hara MD & Satoru Kyo MD, PhD

  2. Department of Experimental Animals, Interdisciplinary Center for Science Research, Organization for Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan

    Takaya Yamada PhD

Authors
  1. Unurjargal Sukhbaatar MD PhD
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  2. Haruhiko Kanasaki MD PhD
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  3. Tselmeg Mijiddorj MD PhD
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  4. Aki Oride MD PhD
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  5. Tomomi Hara MD
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  7. Satoru Kyo MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Haruhiko Kanasaki MD PhD.

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Sukhbaatar, U., Kanasaki, H., Mijiddorj, T. et al. Expression of GnRH and Kisspeptin in Primary Cultures of Fetal Rat Brain. Reprod. Sci. 24, 227–233 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719116653679

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