Inhibitory effects of melatonin on the onset of puberty examined by kisspeptin expression analysis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09460
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Takumi Ken 岡山理科大学, 理学部, 准教授 (40553269)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: キスペプチン / メラトニン / 思春期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the possibility that melatonin, a hormone which increases during night, has an inhibitory effect on the onset of puberty through the expression of kisspeptin, a neuropeptide essential for sexual maturation in mammals.
Since melatonin administration no effect on body growth rate or ovarian weight, and no significant difference was observed in luteinizing hormone levels or kisspeptin expression in the hypothalamus of female rats at the onset of puberty, it is suggested that melatonin is not an strong inhibitor of kisspeptin expression during the pubertal development.

Free Research Field

生殖生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

メラトニンは外界の明暗環境の情報伝達に関わるホルモンであるため、本研究によって思春期発来に必須のキスペプチン発現への影響を明らかにすることで、ヒトを含む哺乳類における照明環境と性成熟の関係性についての知見が得られることが期待された。投与経路などによる制限はあるものの、メラトニンが思春期の開始に与える影響は報告されてきたように強固でない可能性が示唆された。