Hypothalamic expression of KISS1 and gonadotropin inhibitory hormone genes during the menstrual cycle of a non-human primate

Abstract

Kisspeptin, the product of the KISS1 gene, stimulates gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion; gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH), encoded by the RF-amiderelated peptide (RFRP) or NPVF gene, inhibits the reproductive axis. In sheep, kisspeptin neurons are found in the lateral preoptic area (POA) and the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and may be important for initiating the preovulatory GnRH/luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. GnIH cells are located in the ovine dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMN) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), with similar distribution in the primate. KISS1 cells are found in the primate POA and ARC, but the function that kisspeptin and GnIH play in primates has not b..