Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The hypothalamic neuropeptides kisspeptin and neurokinin B (NKB) are both obligate for normal gonadotrophin secretion. Studies in patients with loss-of-function mutations in NKB signalling suggest that kisspeptin is functionally upstream of NKB, but this hierarchy is unexplored in healthy men and women. We hypothesised that kisspeptin augmentation of estrogen-induced mid-cycle LH secretion will not be abrogated by pharmacological blockade of NKB.<p class="abste...

LH hyper-secretion, driven by increased GnRH pulsatility, underpins excess testosterone secretion – a key clinical feature of PCOS.The kisspeptin-neurokinin B (NKB)-GnRH pathway has emerged as the pivotal regulator of reproduction. We hypothesised that pharmacologic blockade of NKB may address the central pathophysiology of LH hyper-secretion and hyperandrogenism in PCOS. We undertook a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled multi-centre Phase...