title: Prepubertal exposure to glucocorticoid delays puberty independent of the hypothalamic Kiss1-GnRH system in female rats.
abstract: Secretion of glucocorticoids is widely known as a key endocrine response to stresses. Prenatal dexamethasone administration induces intrauterine growth retardation and delayed onset of puberty in female rats independent of the hypothalamic Kiss1-gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of chronic intracerebroventricular (central, CD) or subcutaneous (peripheral, PD) dexamethasone administration to prepubertal female rats on the onset of puberty and body weight change. Rats administered dexamethasone from day 25 to day 34 (CD and PD) showed significantly reduced body weight gain throughout the experimental period and delayed onset of vaginal opening compared with rats administered saline centrally (CS) or peripherally (PS). At 34 days old, hypothalamic Kiss1r mRNA levels were significantly lower with CD than with CS. No significant differences were seen between rats administered saline and rats administered dexamethasone with regard to hypothalamic Kiss1, GnRH and NPY mRNA levels or serum LH levels. Serum leptin concentrations were higher in CD and PD than in the controls (CS and PS). These results suggest that the delayed onset of puberty induced by prepubertal dexamethasone administration occurs independent of the hypothalamic Kiss1-GnRH system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Institute of Health Biosciences, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Riyo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kinouchi
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.forename: Ganbat
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gereltsetseg
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kunimi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014621:Vagina / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006728:Hormones; C491406:Kiss1 protein, rat; D059648:Kisspeptins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone