Study on the regulation of pituitary function in chicken by adipokine, leptin

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K07983
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Ohkubo Takeshi 茨城大学, 農学部, 教授 (70233070)
• Research Collaborator: NAMEKAWA Shoko ; SHAIKAT Amir H.
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: レプチン / ニワトリ / 下垂体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the effects of leptin on the expression of pituitary hormone gene and the functional development of ovaries in chicken. The mRNA expression of pituitary hormones was differentially regulated by leptin on age, strain and so on. This leptin dependent mRNA expression was suggested to be coordinately regulated by direct action to pituitary gland and indirect action through hypothalamus. Furthermore, it was revealed that leptin acts on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis in an age specific manner to develop the ovarian function in juvenile chick.

Free Research Field

動物生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鳥類におけるレプチンの生理機能については未だ十分には明らかにされていないが、レプチンがニワトリ下垂体へ作用することにより、成長や生殖などの生理反応を制御する可能性を見出したことは、今後の家禽内分泌学の進展に寄与するものである。特に、レプチンが幼若期のニワトリ卵巣の機能発達に影響を与えることを示した成果は、成長期の栄養制御が、性成熟の早期化による産卵成績の改善に繋がる可能性を示すものであり、学術的な価値は非常に高い。