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Reproduction Abstracts (2014) 1 P344 | DOI: 10.1530/repabs.1.P344

1Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; 2The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan; 3National Institute for Physiological Science, Okazaki, Japan.


Kisspeptin, encoded by Kiss1 gene, has attracted attention as a key neuropeptide in controlling reproduction in mammals. Earlier studies with Kiss1 or its cognate receptor Gpr54 knockout (KO) mice showed the indispensable role of kisspeptin–GPR54 signaling on reproduction, but detailed analysis of gonadotropin release were still limited. Here we have generated Kiss1 KO rats to evaluate a role of kisspeptin on pulsatile gonadotropin secretion in males. The targeting vector was constructed by replacement of the last two exons (exon 2 and 3) of Kiss1 gene with tdTomato reporter gene. Kiss1 KO male rats showed no kisspeptin-immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, while they showed tdTomato fluorescences in the nucleus. Kiss1 KO male rats showed normal growth, but they failed to show testicular descent and balano-preputial separation as external signs of puberty onset. Plasma FSH, LH, and testosterone concentrations were almost undetectable in testis-intact Kiss1 KO rats. The plasma FSH and LH levels were also undetectable in Kiss1 KO rats even after gonadectomy. The testis was significantly smaller in Kiss1 KO rats compared to the WT littermates. Frequent blood sampling definitely exhibited no pulsatile LH secretion in gonadectomized Kiss1 KO rats. Thus, the present results indicate that kisspeptin is indispensable for pulsatile gonadotropin release to control reproduction in male rats. This study was supported in part by a grant from Research Program on Innovative Technologies for Animal Breeding, Reproduction, and Vaccine Development.

Volume 1

World Congress of Reproductive Biology 2014

Edinburgh, UK
02 Sep 2014 - 04 Sep 2014

World Congress of Reproductive Biology 

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