Ojeda Sergio R, Roth Christian, Mungenast Alison, Heger Sabine, Mastronardi Claudio, Parent Anne-Simone, Lomniczi Alejandro, Jung Heike
Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center/Oregon, Health & Science University, Beaverton, 97006, USA.
Int J Androl. 2006 Feb;29(1):256-63; discussion 286-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00619.x.
Sexual development and mature reproductive function are controlled by a handful of neurones that, located in the basal forebrain, produce the decapeptide luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH). LHRH is released into the portal system that connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland and act on the latter to stimulate the synthesis and release of gonadotrophin hormones. The pubertal activation of LHRH release requires coordinated changes in excitatory and inhibitory inputs to LHRH-secreting neurones. These inputs are provided by both transsynaptic and glia-to-neurone communication pathways. Using cellular and molecular approaches, in combination with transgenic animal models and high-throughput procedures for gene discovery, we are gaining new insight into the basic mechanisms underlying this dual control of LHRH secretion and, hence, the initiation of mammalian puberty. Our results suggest that the initiation of puberty requires reciprocal neurone-glia communication involving excitatory amino acids and growth factors, and the coordinated actions of a group of transcriptional regulators that appear to represent a higher level of control governing the pubertal process.
性发育和成熟的生殖功能由少数位于基底前脑的神经元控制，这些神经元产生十肽促黄体激素释放激素（LHRH）。LHRH被释放到连接下丘脑和垂体的门脉系统中，并作用于垂体，刺激促性腺激素的合成和释放。LHRH释放的青春期激活需要对分泌LHRH的神经元的兴奋性和抑制性输入进行协调变化。这些输入由跨突触和胶质细胞到神经元的通信途径提供。通过细胞和分子方法，结合转基因动物模型和用于基因发现的高通量程序，我们正在对LHRH分泌的这种双重控制以及哺乳动物青春期启动的基本机制有新的认识。我们的结果表明，青春期的启动需要涉及兴奋性氨基酸和生长因子的相互的神经元-胶质细胞通信，以及一组转录调节因子的协同作用，这些转录调节因子似乎代表了控制青春期过程的更高水平的控制。
