Crown Angelena, Clifton Donald K, Steiner Robert A
Undergraduate Program in Neurobiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7290, USA.
Neuroendocrinology. 2007;86(3):175-82. doi: 10.1159/000109095. Epub 2007 Sep 26.
Fertility is gated by nutrition and the availability of stored energy reserves, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms that link energy stores and reproduction are not well understood. Neuropeptides including galanin-like peptide (GALP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), products of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC; e.g., alpha-MSH and beta-endorphin), and kisspeptin are thought to be involved in this process for several reasons. First, the neurons that express these neuropeptides all reside in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, a critical site for the regulation of both metabolism and reproduction. Second, these neuropeptides are all targets for regulation by metabolic hormones, such as leptin and insulin. And third, these neuropeptides have either direct or indirect effects on feeding and metabolism, as well as on the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). As the target for the action of metabolic hormones and sex steroids, these neuropeptides serve as molecular motifs integrating the control of metabolism and reproduction.
生育能力受营养和储存能量储备的可用性的限制，但连接能量储存与生殖的细胞和分子机制尚未得到充分了解。包括甘丙肽样肽（GALP）、神经肽Y（NPY）、阿片促黑素皮质激素原（POMC；例如，α-促黑素和β-内啡肽）的产物以及 kisspeptin 在内的神经肽被认为参与了这一过程，原因如下。首先，表达这些神经肽的神经元都位于下丘脑弓状核，这是调节新陈代谢和生殖的关键部位。其次，这些神经肽都是瘦素和胰岛素等代谢激素的调节靶点。第三，这些神经肽对进食和新陈代谢以及促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）和促黄体生成素（LH）的分泌都有直接或间接的影响。作为代谢激素和性类固醇作用的靶点，这些神经肽作为整合新陈代谢和生殖控制的分子基序。
