Skip to Content
Merck
  • Disparate changes in kisspeptin and neurokinin B expression in the arcuate nucleus after sex steroid manipulation reveal differential regulation of the two KNDy peptides in rats.

Disparate changes in kisspeptin and neurokinin B expression in the arcuate nucleus after sex steroid manipulation reveal differential regulation of the two KNDy peptides in rats.

Endocrinology (2014-07-23)
Agnete Overgaard, Francisco Ruiz-Pino, Juan M Castellano, Manuel Tena-Sempere, Jens D Mikkelsen
ABSTRACT

Kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin A are coexpressed in a population of neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), termed KNDy neurons, which were recently recognized as important elements for the generation of GnRH pulses. However, the topographic distribution of these peptides and their regulated expression by sex steroids are still not well understood. In this study, detailed examination of NKB and kisspeptin immunoreactivity in the rat ARC was carried out, including comparison between sexes, with and without sex steroid replacement. Neurons expressing kisspeptin and NKB were more prominent in the caudal ARC of females, whereas neurons expressing NKB, but not kisspeptin, were the most abundant in the male. Sex steroid manipulation revealed differential regulation of kisspeptin and NKB; although kisspeptin immunoreactive (ir) cells increased in response to gonadectomy, NKB remained unchanged. Furthermore, the number of NKB-ir cells increased upon sex steroid replacement compared with gonadectomy, whereas kisspeptin did not, suggesting that sex steroids differently regulate these peptides. In addition, only in females did the density of kisspeptin- and NKB-ir fibers in the ARC increase upon sex steroid replacement in relation to sham and ovariectomy, respectively, suggesting sex-specific regulation of release. In conclusion, our observations reveal sex differences in the number of kisspeptin- and NKB-ir cells, which are more prominent in the caudal ARC. The divergent regulation of kisspeptin and NKB peptide contents in the ARC as a function of sex and steroid milieu enlarge our understanding on how these neuropeptides are posttranscriptionally regulated in KNDy neurons.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Supelco
4-tert-Octylphenol monoethoxylate solution, 10 μg/mL in acetone, analytical standard
Pricing and availability is not currently available.
Sigma-Aldrich
β-Estradiol, ≥98%
Pricing and availability is not currently available.
Sigma-Aldrich
Estradiol, meets USP testing specifications
Pricing and availability is not currently available.
USP
Estradiol, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
Pricing and availability is not currently available.
Supelco
Estradiol, Pharmaceutical Secondary Standard; Certified Reference Material
Pricing and availability is not currently available.