Central regulation of Hypothalamic-Pituitary Gonadal axis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K11237
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Shimane University
• Principal Investigator: Kanasaki Haruhiko 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 准教授 (10325053)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 折出 亜希 島根大学, 学術研究院医学・看護学系, 講師 (00423278)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 月経異常 / 女性内分泌 / 生殖内分泌 / キスペプチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the mHypoA-55 ARC cells, activin significantly increased Kiss-1 gene expression. Follistatin alone reduced Kiss-1 expression within these cells. Interestingly, activin-induced Kiss-1 gene expression was completely abolished by follistatin. Inhibin A, but not inhibin B reduced Kiss-1 expression. Activin-increased Kiss-1 expression was also abolished by inhibin A. Pretreatment of the cells with follistatin or inhibin A significantly inhibited kisspeptin- or GnRH-induced Kiss-1 gene expression in mHypoA-55 cells. The subunits that compose activin and inhibin, as well as follistatin were expressed in mHypoA-55 cells. We found that expression of the inhibin  subunit and follistatin genes was modulated in the presence of E2 in mHypoA-55 ARC cells.

Free Research Field

生殖内分泌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

女性の月経周期は視床下部-下垂体-性腺軸により精巧に調節されているが、体重の増減や過度な運動、ストレスの存在などにより簡単に破綻する。視床下部-下垂体-性腺軸の頂点に存在するとされる脳内キスペプチンニューロンの制御機構を知ることは、女性内分泌の詳細を解き明かす手掛かりになると思われます。