Effect of kisspeptin on reproductive function in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea

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Amennorhea is the term used describe women who have no periods and this results in infertility. In many women the cause of the problem is due to a problem in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and this is termed hypothalamic amenorrhea. The cause of hypothalamic amenorrhea is not known and treatments are associated with significant side effects. Recent evidence in rodents suggests that a new hormone called kisspeptin may be the missing factor in women with hypothalamic amenorrhea. Administration of kisspeptin to rodents with hypothalamic amenorrhea resulted in an increase in restoration of normal periods and fertility. Women with hypothalamic amenorrhea are infertile and have increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures, which is associated with increased illness and earlier death. The inability to have children is often devastating, and can result in severe depression which can lead to marital breakdown.Investigators in the Department of Metabolic Medicine at Imperial College London will be carrying out the research in this application. They have considerable experience of human infusion studies in order to investigate the physiology of novel hormones and peptides and have developed protocols that ensure reliable, safe delivery of a dose of peptide into humans. The investigators have recently completed the first human infusion studies of kisspeptin in males and females and shown that it stimulates reproductive hormone secretion. The investigators now intend to conduct a study to chronically administer subcutaneous kisspeptin to women with hypothalamic amenorrhea and investigate whether this can restore circulating reproductive hormones and restore their periods and fertility.