Astudillo-Guerrero Camila, Paredes Alfonso H, Escobar Jorge, Fernandois Daniela, Barra Rafael, Cruz Gonzalo
Laboratorio de Alteraciones Reproductivas y Metabólicas, Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
Center for Neurobiochemical Studies in Endocrine Diseases, Laboratory of Neurobiochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2025 Feb 3;15:1484939. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1484939. eCollection 2024.
The link between metabolism and reproduction is well-known. Both undernutrition and obesity affect the reproductive system. Metabolic status influences reproductive physiology by regulating gonadotropin secretion and affecting reproductive organs through hormonal signals. On the other hand, the autonomic nervous system controls follicle development and ovulation in the female reproductive system. This system is regulated by hypothalamic areas associated with metabolism as the Arcuate nuclei (ARC) and paraventricular nuclei (PVN). Metabolic signals, such as nutrients and hormones, acting on the hypothalamus may play a crucial role in modulating sympathetic innervation of the ovary and other reproductive organs. Some of these hormones are leptin, insulin, and GLP-1 that act directly in the hypothalamus to activate the sympathetic nervous system. In this minireview, we propose that leptin could be an important regulator of sympathetic innervation in reproductive tissues. Leptin may affect the density or activity of sympathetic nerves, thereby affecting reproductive function. We also speculate that other hormones such as insulin and GLP-1 may activate sympathetic nerves to the ovary. Additionally, we explore how early-onset obesity can cause lasting changes in the autonomic control of metabolic and reproductive organs, especially in the ovary. This suggests that the hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves in adulthood, due to metabolic programming, could be a possible cause of reproductive and metabolic disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
新陈代谢与生殖之间的联系众所周知。营养不良和肥胖都会影响生殖系统。代谢状态通过调节促性腺激素分泌并通过激素信号影响生殖器官来影响生殖生理。另一方面，自主神经系统控制女性生殖系统中的卵泡发育和排卵。该系统由与新陈代谢相关的下丘脑区域如弓状核（ARC）和室旁核（PVN）调节。作用于下丘脑的代谢信号，如营养物质和激素，可能在调节卵巢和其他生殖器官的交感神经支配方面发挥关键作用。其中一些激素是瘦素、胰岛素和胰高血糖素样肽-1，它们直接在下丘脑发挥作用以激活交感神经系统。在这篇综述中，我们提出瘦素可能是生殖组织中交感神经支配的重要调节因子。瘦素可能影响交感神经的密度或活性，从而影响生殖功能。我们还推测其他激素如胰岛素和胰高血糖素样肽-1可能激活卵巢的交感神经。此外，我们探讨了早发性肥胖如何导致代谢和生殖器官自主控制的持久变化，尤其是在卵巢中。这表明由于代谢编程导致成年期交感神经的过度激活可能是生殖和代谢紊乱如多囊卵巢综合征的一个可能原因。
