NEUROENDOCRINE GENES GOVERNING REPRODUCTION

测定GnRH基因表达神经元在大鼠脑内的分布 并检查GnRH亚群是否 神经元像在大鼠一样表达甘丙素mRNA，我们在原位实验中使用 杂交和计算机成像。促性腺激素释放激素基因的表达 内侧前脑和促性腺激素释放激素基因表达神经元在 前脑的外侧区域。这些结果表明甘丙素 刺激灵长类动物黄体生成素的分泌。此外, 结果表明，促性腺激素释放激素基因在大鼠的前脑中广泛表达。 尾巴猕猴以及在某些神经元群体中的甘丙素 可能与促性腺激素释放激素共同发挥作用。使用相同的技术，我们 定位瘦素受体mRNA的分布。瘦素作为一种 神经内分泌生殖轴的代谢激活剂 啮齿动物物种，但它在灵长类动物中是否起到类似的作用 未知。我们观察了瘦素受体在垂体前叶的表达。 和大脑的几个区域，表明瘦素确实是一种 灵长类动物生殖轴的代谢信号。我们还有 开始调查是否使用外源性雌激素或 选择性雌激素受体调节剂对神经肽基因的影响 表情。我们现在正在测试雌激素受体是否 共同表达在下丘脑的神经元上，可能介导了 促性腺激素释放激素搏动性。资助NIH拨款RR00166和HD12629。芬恩 P.D.，Cunningham，M.J.，Pau，K.Y.，Spies，H.G.，Clifton，D.K.，以及 瘦素对神经内分泌的刺激作用 猴子的生殖轴。内分泌学139：4652-4662,1998。

To determine the distribution of GnRH mRNA-expressing neurons in pigtailed macaque brain and to examine whether subpopulations of GnRH neurons express galanin mRNA as they do in rats, we used in situ hybridization and computerized imaging. GnRH mRNA was expressed in the medial forebrain and GnRH mRNA-expressing neurons were found in lateral regions of the forebrain. These results suggest that galanin stimulates luteinizing hormone secretion in primates. In addition, they show that GnRH mRNA is widely expressed in the forebrain of pigtailed macaques and that, in some populations of neurons, galanin may act as a cotransmitter with GnRH. Using the same techniques, we mapped the distribution of leptin receptor mRNA. Leptin acts as a metabolic activator of the neuroendocrine reproductive axis in several rodent species, but whether it plays a similar role in primates is unknown. We observed leptin receptor mRNA in the anterior pituitary and several areas of the brain, sug gest ing that leptin is indeed a metabolic signal to the reproductive axis in primates. We have also begun to investigate whether the use of exogenous estrogen or of selective estrogen receptor modulators affects neuropeptide gene expression. We are now testing whether estrogen receptors are coexpressed on neurons in the hypothalamus that may mediate changes in GnRH pulsatility. FUNDING NIH grants RR00166 and HD12629. Finn, P.D., Cunningham, M.J., Pau, K.Y., Spies, H.G., Clifton, D.K., and Steiner, R.A. The stimulatory effect of leptin on the neuroendocrine reproductive axis of the monkey. Endocrinology 139:4652-4662, 1998.