Endocrine Abstracts

Mutation of the GPR54 receptor is associated with a failure of reproductive function. The endogenous neuropeptide agonist for GPR54, kisspeptin, potently stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in rodents and primates.Objective: The present study was designed to determine the effects of elevating circulating kisspeptin levels on LH, FSH and testosterone in male volunteers.Method: Study (i) Volunteers were infused w...

Kisspeptin is a 54 amino acid peptide, encoded by the anti-metastasis gene KiSS-1, that activates the G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR54. The kisspeptin/GPR54 system is critical to normal reproductive development. KiSS-1 gene expression is increased in the human placenta in normal and molar pregnancies. Circulating kisspeptin is dramatically increased in normal pregnancy but levels in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) have not previously been reported. The...

Background: Kisspeptin is a critical regulator of normal reproductive function. In humans inactivating mutations of the kisspeptin receptor GPR54 cause hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and pubertal failure. Activating mutations of GPR54 cause precocious puberty. Hypothalamic amenorrhoea (HA) accounts for over 30% of cases of amenorrhoea in women of reproductive age. Current treatments have limited success rates and side effects. In rodent models of HA hypothalamic KISS1 expressi...