Analysis of direct and indirect regulation of kisspeptin neurons on isotocin/vasotocin neurons

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26840111
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kanda Shinji 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 准教授 (50634284)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: キスペプチン / バソトシン / GnRH / Ca2+イメージング / トランスジェニック

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we used physiological and histological approaches to examine the regulation of kisspeptin neural system on vasotonergic neural system in medaka. First, Ca2+ imaging experiments demonstrated that vasotocin neurons increase their intracellular calcium level in response to synthetic Kiss2 peptide. Moreover, by using a newly generated Kiss2 specific antiserum and a transgenic lines whose vasotocin neurons are labeled by GFP, close apposition of Kiss2 and vasotocin fibers was demonstrated. These lines of evidence strongly suggest that Kiss2 neurons regulate vasotocin neuronal activities.
In addition to these neuroanatomical approaches, we established knockout medaka for kisspeptin or vasotocin related genes. RNA seq analysis of their brains suggested some candidate neurotransmitters that can be regulated by kisspeptin or vasotocin neural systems in the brain. The analysis of these neuronal systems, which may be related to kisspeptin and/or vasotocin system, is underway.

Free Research Field

神経内分泌学