Influence of age and 17beta-estradiol on kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and prodynorphin gene expression in the arcuate-median eminence of female rhesus macaques.

ABSTRACT: The neuropeptides kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin A (collectively abbreviated as KNDy) are, respectively, encoded by KiSS-1, NKB, and PDYN and are coexpressed by neurons of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC). Here, using quantitative real-time PCR, we examined age-related changes in the expression of genes encoding KNDy and associated receptors G protein-coupled receptor 54 (encoded by GPR54), neurokinin 3 receptor (encoded by NK3), and kappa-opioid receptor (encoded by KOR), in the female rhesus macaque ARC-median eminence (ARC-ME). Expression of KiSS-1 and NKB was highly elevated in old perimenopausal compared with young or middle-aged premenopausal animals. To test whether these age-related changes could be attributed to perimenopausal loss of sex steroids, we then examined

SUBMITTER: Eghlidi DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2940528 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature