Social Regulation of Kisspeptin Signaling in Astatotilapia burtoni
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1
Stanford University, Biology, United States
The neural inputs that relay environmental cues to the vertebrate reproductive axis are largely unknown. Kisspeptins are neuropeptides known to be potent stimulators of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone 1 (GnRH1) neurons in the preoptic area (POA), which control pituitary release of the gonadotropins in all vertebrates. To investigate the role of kisspeptins in environmental control of reproduction, we use a cichlid species, Astatotilapia burtoni, in which the reproductive capacity of adult males is dependent on social status. Subordinate males can be experimentally manipulated to ascend to dominant status and this transition produces dramatic increases in circulating testosterone, GnRH1 neuron size, and testes size within several days. We have identified the A. burtoni mRNA sequence of a kisspeptin gene, Kiss2, and its putative receptor, GPR54a. Male Kiss2 exhibits high expression in the hypothalamus, where GPR54a is also localized. Ascending males had higher GPR54a expression in the POA compared to both stable subordinate and dominant males. Complementary studies for Kiss2 are currently underway. Our findings indicate that neuronal populations participating in kisspeptin signaling are quickly responsive (30 minutes) to reproductively-significant social cues. Furthermore, our results suggest that a shift in kisspeptin signaling may participate in environmentally-driven augmentation of the reproductive axis.
Keywords:
Cichlid,
GnRH,
Kisspeptin,
Social Behavior
Conference:
NASCE 2011: The inaugural meeting of the North American Society for Comparative Endocrinology, Ann Arbor, United States, 13 Jul - 16 Jul, 2011.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Neuroendocrine control of reproduction
Citation:
Hu
C,
Maruska
K and
Fernald
R
(2011). Social Regulation of Kisspeptin Signaling in Astatotilapia burtoni.
Front. Endocrinol.
Conference Abstract:
NASCE 2011: The inaugural meeting of the North American Society for Comparative Endocrinology.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fendo.2011.04.00143
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Received:
20 Jul 2011;
Published Online:
09 Aug 2011.
*
Correspondence:
Ms. Caroline Hu, Stanford University, Biology, Stanford, United States, carolinehu@fas.harvard.edu