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Kisspeptin and RFRP 3 modulate body mass in Phodopus sungorus via two different neuroendocrine pathways
Author(s) -
CázarezMárquez Fernando,
Milesi Sebastien,
LaranChich MariePierre,
Klosen Paul,
Kalsbeek Andries,
Simonneaux Valérie
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1111/jne.12710
Subject(s) - phodopus , endocrinology , medicine , orexigenic , biology , kisspeptin , neuropeptide , hamster , neuropeptide y receptor , leptin , reproduction , hypothalamus , obesity , receptor , ecology
Many animals exhibit remarkable metabolic and reproductive adaptations to seasonal changes in their environment. When day length shortens, Djungarian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus ) reduce their body weight and inhibit their reproductive activity, whereas the opposite occurs in springtime. These physiological adaptations are considered to depend on photoperiodic changes in hypothalamic genes encoding the peptides kisspeptin (Kp) and RF amide‐related peptide 3 ( RFRP 3) for the control of reproduction, as well as pro‐opiomelanocortin and somatostatin for metabolic regulation. The present study investigates the effect of Kp and RFRP 3 on long‐term body weight regulation, aiming to establish whether metabolic and reproductive hypothalamic networks may interact during adaptation to seasonal physiology. We found that chronic central administration of both Kp and RFRP 3 in short photoperiod‐adapted male Djungarian hamsters increased body weight, although via different pathways. The effect of Kp was dependent on testicular activity because castration prevented the body weight increase and was associated with an increase in pro‐opiomelanocortin and neuropeptide Y expression. On the other hand, the orexigenic effect of RFRP 3 was associated with an increase in circulating insulin and leptin levels, although it had no effect on any of the hypothalamic metabolic genes investigated, and did not change circulating levels of sex steroids. Notably, neither Kp, nor RFRP 3 altered female hamster metabolic parameters. Thus, using a rodent model exhibiting seasonal changes in reproduction and metabolism, the present study demonstrates that, in addition to its role in the central control of reproduction, Kp also participates in body weight control in a sex‐dependent manner via an anabolic action of testosterone. Conversely, RFRP 3 affects body weight control in males mostly by acting on adiposity, with no overt effect on the reproductive system in both sexes.