Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice
In recent years, the age of children entering puberty is getting lower and the incidence of central precocious puberty is increasing. It is known that melatonin plays an increasingly important role in regulating animal reproduction, but the specific role and mechanism of melatonin in regulating the...
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1550 |
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| author | Zixuan Chen Lina Si Weihan Shu Xin Zhang Chenyang Wei Meng Wei Luyang Cheng Zhihong Chen Yuebing Qiao Songhe Yang |
| author_facet | Zixuan Chen Lina Si Weihan Shu Xin Zhang Chenyang Wei Meng Wei Luyang Cheng Zhihong Chen Yuebing Qiao Songhe Yang |
| author_sort | Zixuan Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, the age of children entering puberty is getting lower and the incidence of central precocious puberty is increasing. It is known that melatonin plays an increasingly important role in regulating animal reproduction, but the specific role and mechanism of melatonin in regulating the initiation of puberty remain unclear. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of subcutaneous melatonin injection on pubertal development in female mice and its mechanism of action. Female mice that were 22 days old received 1 mg/kg doses of melatonin subcutaneously every day for 10, 15 and 20 days. The vaginal opening was checked daily. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain was used to determine the growth of the uterus and ovaries. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone (GnIH), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in serum. By using RT-PCR and Western blotting, the mRNA and protein expression of the hypothalamus GnRH, GnIH, Kisspeptin (Kp), Proopiomelanocortin (POMC), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), as well as G protein-coupled receptor 147 (GPR147) were identified. The findings demonstrated that melatonin could suppress ovarian follicle and uterine wall growth as well as delay vaginal opening, decrease serum levels of GnRH and FSH and increase levels of GnIH. Melatonin increased GnIH and GPR147 expression in the hypothalamus in comparison to the saline group, while decreasing the expression of GnRH, Kisspeptin, POMC, and NPY. In conclusion, exogenous melatonin can inhibit the onset of puberty in female mice by modulating the expression of hypothalamic GnRH, GnIH, Kisspeptin, POMC and NPY neurons and suppressing the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:27:37Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:27:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5a1329591a24f98a73f64699207d08a2023-11-24T07:49:37ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-11-011211155010.3390/brainsci12111550Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female MiceZixuan Chen0Lina Si1Weihan Shu2Xin Zhang3Chenyang Wei4Meng Wei5Luyang Cheng6Zhihong Chen7Yuebing Qiao8Songhe Yang9Department of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Immunology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Immunology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaFaculty of Graduate Studies, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaDepartment of Human Anatomy, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaFaculty of Graduate Studies, Chengde Medical University, Chengde 067000, ChinaIn recent years, the age of children entering puberty is getting lower and the incidence of central precocious puberty is increasing. It is known that melatonin plays an increasingly important role in regulating animal reproduction, but the specific role and mechanism of melatonin in regulating the initiation of puberty remain unclear. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of subcutaneous melatonin injection on pubertal development in female mice and its mechanism of action. Female mice that were 22 days old received 1 mg/kg doses of melatonin subcutaneously every day for 10, 15 and 20 days. The vaginal opening was checked daily. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain was used to determine the growth of the uterus and ovaries. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone (GnIH), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in serum. By using RT-PCR and Western blotting, the mRNA and protein expression of the hypothalamus GnRH, GnIH, Kisspeptin (Kp), Proopiomelanocortin (POMC), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), as well as G protein-coupled receptor 147 (GPR147) were identified. The findings demonstrated that melatonin could suppress ovarian follicle and uterine wall growth as well as delay vaginal opening, decrease serum levels of GnRH and FSH and increase levels of GnIH. Melatonin increased GnIH and GPR147 expression in the hypothalamus in comparison to the saline group, while decreasing the expression of GnRH, Kisspeptin, POMC, and NPY. In conclusion, exogenous melatonin can inhibit the onset of puberty in female mice by modulating the expression of hypothalamic GnRH, GnIH, Kisspeptin, POMC and NPY neurons and suppressing the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1550melatoninpubertyGnRHGnIHKisspeptinNeuropeptide Y |
| spellingShingle | Zixuan Chen Lina Si Weihan Shu Xin Zhang Chenyang Wei Meng Wei Luyang Cheng Zhihong Chen Yuebing Qiao Songhe Yang Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice Brain Sciences melatonin puberty GnRH GnIH Kisspeptin Neuropeptide Y |
| title | Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice |
| title_full | Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice |
| title_fullStr | Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice |
| title_short | Exogenous Melatonin Regulates Puberty and the Hypothalamic GnRH-GnIH System in Female Mice |
| title_sort | exogenous melatonin regulates puberty and the hypothalamic gnrh gnih system in female mice |
| topic | melatonin puberty GnRH GnIH Kisspeptin Neuropeptide Y |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1550 |
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