Endocrinology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
Reproduction. 2009 Jul;138(1):1-7. doi: 10.1530/REP-09-0026. Epub 2009 Mar 31.
Kisspeptin is a neuropeptide that was originally discovered in 1996 from a metastasis tumour suppressor gene, KISS1 and was appropriately named metastin. More recently, the discovery of inactivating mutations in the receptor for kisspeptin, a G protein-coupled receptor, GPR54 (KISS1R), have been shown to result in a failure to progress through puberty in man. These findings have led to the kisspeptin/KISS1R system being described as an essential gatekeeper of reproductive function. Recent studies have suggested additional roles of kisspeptin, other than in the central control of the gonadotropic axis including placentation and pregnancy, energy homeostasis and cardiovascular function. Therefore, kisspeptin-KISS1R signalling potentially plays diverse roles in human physiology. Here, we review the literature regarding the role and physiological significance of kisspeptin in pregnancy and highlight some of the key questions that require addressing.
kisspeptin 是一种神经肽，最初于 1996 年从转移肿瘤抑制基因 KISS1 中发现，并被恰当地命名为 metastin。最近，发现 kisspeptin 的受体（G 蛋白偶联受体，GPR54[KISS1R]）中的失活突变会导致男性青春期发育失败。这些发现导致 kisspeptin/KISS1R 系统被描述为生殖功能的重要守门员。最近的研究表明，kisspeptin 除了在性腺轴的中枢控制（包括胎盘形成和妊娠、能量平衡和心血管功能）中具有作用外，还有其他作用。因此，kisspeptin-KISS1R 信号在人体生理学中可能发挥多种作用。在这里，我们回顾了关于 kisspeptin 在妊娠中的作用和生理意义的文献，并强调了一些需要解决的关键问题。
