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RFamide-Related Peptide Neurons Modulate Reproductive Function and Stress Responses.
- Source :
-
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience [J Neurosci] 2021 Jan 20; Vol. 41 (3), pp. 474-488. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Nov 20. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- RF-amide related peptide 3 (RFRP-3) is a neuropeptide thought to inhibit central regulation of fertility. We investigated whether alterations in RFRP neuronal activity led to changes in puberty onset, fertility, and stress responses, including stress and glucocorticoid-induced suppression of pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. We first validated a novel RFRP-Cre mouse line, which we then used in combination with Cre-dependent neuronal ablation and DREADD technology to selectively ablate, stimulate, and inhibit RFRP neurons to interrogate their physiological roles in the regulation of fertility and stress responses. Chronic RFRP neuronal activation delayed male puberty onset and female reproductive cycle progression, but RFRP-activated and ablated mice exhibited apparently normal fertility. When subjected to either restraint- or glucocorticoid-induced stress paradigms. However, we observed a critical sex-specific role for RFRP neurons in mediating acute and chronic stress-induced reproductive suppression. Female mice exhibiting RFRP neuron ablation or silencing did not exhibit the stress-induced suppression in pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion observed in control mice. Furthermore, RFRP neuronal activation markedly stimulated glucocorticoid secretion, demonstrating a feedback loop whereby stressful stimuli activate RFRP neurons, which in turn further activate the stress axis. These data provide evidence for a neuronal link between the stress and reproductive axes.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.<br /> (Copyright © 2021 the authors.)
- Subjects :
- Animals
Female
Fertility physiology
Gene Knock-In Techniques
Gene Silencing
Genotype
Glucocorticoids metabolism
Luteinizing Hormone metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Neuropeptides genetics
Restraint, Physical
Sex Characteristics
Sexual Maturation physiology
Neurons physiology
Neuropeptides physiology
Reproduction physiology
Stress, Psychological physiopathology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1529-2401
- Volume :
- 41
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33219002
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1062-20.2020