Endocrine Abstracts

There is a strong correlation between metabolic status (e.g. obesity, diabetes, alcohol use and abuse) and reproductive functions. Disruptions of metabolic status affecting the reproductive system are often manifested as decrease in secretion of hormone (GnRH) and (LH), disruptions of secretion of sex steroids and estrus cycles (in animals) or menstrual cycles (in women), and may even lead to infertility. Diabetes and obesity are also correlated with hypogondism, which is reported in adult and older men.

Kisspeptin is a hypothalamic peptide that has a key function in the regulation of reproduction. Recently it was shown that kisspeptin plays a role in the integration of metabolic and reproductive systems. However, the neuronal mechanisms responsible for integration between these systems and its disruptions by metabolic stressors are not well known yet.

Two rats models: i) prenatal ethanol/alcohol exposure (PAE); ii) diet induced obesity, diabetes typ her 1 and 2, are discussed in the context of the role of metabolic stressors on the reproductive and kisspeptin systems.

Data from the first model suggest that: i) PAE delays onset of puberty in females (delays vaginal opening) in females; ii) PAE causes lack of increase of estradiol and progesterone with age in females but has no effect on changes in testosterone levels with age in males; iii) In adult PAE females, in sex steroids replacement paradigm, kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus show increased sensitivity to estradiol and decreased sensitivity to progesterone.

Currently experiments are preformed to study the changes in the kisspeptin system in the second model.

Obtained data may allow us to better understand the role of kisspeptin in linking metabolic and reproductive systems, its disruptions under metabolic stress, as well as search for new treatment strategies for patients with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), obesity and diabetes.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details unavailable.