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Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Regulation of kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone expression in rat placenta: study using primary cultures of rat placental cells

Authors: Aki Oride, Haruhiko Kanasaki, Tselmeg Mijiddorj, Unurjargal Sukhbaatar, Tomoko Ishihara, Satoru Kyo

Published in: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin in the hypothalamus are thought to be crucial components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and maintain reproductive function. These neuropeptides are also expressed in the placenta, where they may contribute to placental physiology. In this study, we examined how these peptides are regulated within the placenta.

Methods

We used primary cultures of placental tissue from rats of 16–18 days gestation. After stimulation with estradiol, GnRH, kisspeptin, and neurokinin B (NKB), changes in placental GnRH, kisspeptin, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) mRNA expression were evaluated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis.

Results

Immunocytochemical analysis showed that rat placental cells contained cells expressing kisspeptin or GnRH. GnRH and kisspeptin mRNA expression was significantly increased in placental cells in the presence of estradiol; NKB mRNA expression was also stimulated by estradiol. Stimulation of the cells with kisspeptin failed to stimulate GnRH mRNA expression. Conversely, both GnRH itself and NKB increased GnRH mRNA expression. Kisspeptin mRNA expression was not increased by kisspeptin itself; however, GnRH and NKB significantly increased kisspeptin mRNA expression. hCG expression was increased in the presence of estradiol. In addition, kisspeptin, GnRH, and NKB could stimulate the expression of hCG mRNA in placental cells.

Conclusions

Our experiments using primary cultures of rat placental cells showed that GnRH, kisspeptin, and NKB expression was enhanced by estradiol, and unlike in the hypothalamus, kisspeptin did not control the expression of GnRH in placental cells. NKB might be located upstream of kisspeptin and GnRH, and these neuropeptides might be involved in the induction of hCG expression in placental cells.
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Metadata
Title
Regulation of kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone expression in rat placenta: study using primary cultures of rat placental cells
Authors
Aki Oride
Haruhiko Kanasaki
Tselmeg Mijiddorj
Unurjargal Sukhbaatar
Tomoko Ishihara
Satoru Kyo
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1477-7827
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-015-0083-3

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