Endocrine Abstracts

This talk summarizes recent studies analysing the contribution of specific guidance molecules named semaphorins in the development and adult function of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. In vertebrates, the GnRH decapeptide regulates the secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone, which govern puberty onset, gametogenesis, and estrous cycling, from anterior pituitary gonadotropes. During embryonic development, these cells originate from the ...

Histology has been a golden tool for biological research for decades. Nevertheless, whole organ histology is extremely time and resource consuming and most of the time impossible due to the distortions and lack of algorithms to correctly align thousands of sections. Light sheet-based microscopy is an important, innovative tool that offers nondestructive optical sectioning of selectively stained thick tissues at a spatial resolution between that of micro MRI and confocal micros...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the major reproductive and metabolic disorder affecting 10 - 15% of women in reproductive age. Up to 70 percent of daughters of women with PCOS also develop the disease, but genetic variation doesn’t fully explain the high incidence within families and the mechanisms underpinning its transmission remain to be elucidated. We have previously shown that prenatal anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) exposure leads to the manifestation of P...

The precise development of the Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) neurons is essential for the proper function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, as GnRH is the master regulator of reproductive functions in vertebrates. Mutations in genes involved in the development of GnRH neurons are associated with Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism (CHH), a heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by hypogonadism, lack of puberty onset, and infertility, which is named...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting women in reproductive age. Women with PCOS exhibit 2-3x higher levels of circulating Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) as compared to healthy women and it is unclear if the elevation of AMH is a bystander effect or is driving the condition. Moreover, PCOS has a strong heritable component, however the etiopathology of the disease and the mechanisms underlying its transmission remain t...

Background: Few studies to date have attempted to measure serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in adult men, and solid references ranges have not yet been defined on a large cohort.Objective: In this study, we aimed to first establish the reference ranges for serum AMH and AMH-to-total testosterone ratio (AMH/tT) in adult males. Secondly, we investigated the relationship between serum AMH and both reproductive hormones and semen parameters....

Background: Kisspeptin is a critical activator of hypothalamic GnRH neurons and is essential for reproductive health. Emerging data reveals that kisspeptin-based therapeutics have substantial potential to treat reproductive, psychosexual and bone disorders. However, current delivery is limited to the subcutaneous or intravenous routes, presenting barriers to development. Alternative routes of administration would overcome this and capitalise on the benefits of kisspeptin-based...

Background: Kisspeptin is a potent regulator of GnRH neurons with potential to treat reproductive and psychosexual disorders. However, administration is limited to the subcutaneous or intravenous routes. These invasive routes limit clinical development. Herein, we comprehensively examine the translational potential of intranasal kisspeptin administration for the first-time using rodent, human and pharmaceutical studies.Methods:</...

Loss of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and cognitive deficits have recently been demonstrated by our group in conditions including Down syndrome and Alzhiemer’s disease. In some patients with COVID-19, olfactory and cognitive alterations persist, and persistent hypotestosteronemia in SARS-CoV-2-infected men could be a consequence of deficient GnRH. To understand whether neuroinvasion of GnRH system by SARS-CoV-2 could explain some post-COVID symptoms and thus resul...