Central growth hormone signaling is not required for the timing of puberty

Author(s)

Bohlen, Tabata M. ^[1] ; Zampieri, Thais T. ^[1] ; Furigo, Isadora C. ^[2] ; Teixeira, Pryscila D. S. ^[2] ; List, Edward O. ^{[3, 4]} ; Kopchick, John J. ^{[3, 4]} ; Donato, Jr., Jose ^[2] ; Frazao, Renata ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Anat, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Physiol & Biophys, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Ohio Univ, Edison Biotechnol Inst, Athens, OH 45701 - USA

^[4] Ohio Univ, Heritage Coll Osteopath Med, Athens, OH 45701 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Endocrinology; v. 243, n. 3, p. 161-173, DEC 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) is a key factor in the regulation of body growth, as well as a variety of other cellular and metabolic processes. Neurons expressing kisspeptin and leptin receptors (LepR) have been shown to modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and are considered GH responsive. The presence of functional GH receptors (GHR) in these neural populations suggests that GH may regulate the HPG axis via a central mechanism. However, there have been no studies evaluating whether or not GH-induced intracellular signaling in the brain plays a role in the timing of puberty or mediates the ovulatory cycle. Toward the goal of understanding the influence of GH on the central nervous system as a mediator of reproductive functions, GHR ablation was induced in kisspeptin and LepR-expressing cells or in the entire brain. The results demonstrated that GH signaling in specific neural populations can potentially modulate the hypothalamic expression of genes related to the reproductive system or indirectly contribute to the progression of puberty. GH action in kisspeptin cells or in the entire brain was not required for sexual maturation. On the other hand, GHR ablation in LepR cells delayed puberty progression, reduced serum leptin levels, decreased body weight gain and compromised the ovulatory cycle in some individuals, while the lack of GH effects in the entire brain prompted shorter estrous cycles. These findings suggest that GH can modulate brain components of the HPG axis, although central GH signaling is not required for the timing of puberty. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/20198-5 - Role of Leptin in puberal neuromodulation
• Grantee: Thais Tessari Zampieri
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 15/14588-5 - Influence of leptin sensitivity in mice sexual maturation
• Grantee: Tabata Mariz Bohlen
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/02983-2 - The role of growth hormone in the brain: relevance for neural functions and in disease
• Grantee: Jose Donato Junior
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/09679-4 - Central effects of growth hormone on energetic metabolism and glicemic control
• Grantee: Isadora Clivatti Furigo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral