title: Impact of food restriction on ovarian development, RFamide-related peptide-3 and the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in pre-pubertal ewes.
abstract: RFamide-related peptide-3 (RFRP-3), the mammalian ortholog of gonadotropin-inhibiting hormone, has been implicated as a mediator between reproduction and energy balance. This study aimed to investigate the physiological effects of RFRP-3 on the process of ovarian development in food-restricted pre-pubertal ewes. The results showed that food restriction significantly inhibited the ovarian development and follicular growth. The data of qPCR in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis showed that food restriction not only upregulated RFRP-3 mRNA expression but also downregulated the mRNA expression of gonadotropin-releasing-hormone receptor, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). Immunohistochemistry of RFRP-3 in the ovaries suggested that RFRP-3 may regulate the follicular development. These results suggested that the changes of RFRP-3 in response to food restriction might influence the HPO axis and inhibit ovarian development.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Engineering Technology Research Center of Meat Sheep & Goat Industry, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China; Jiangsu Livestock Embryo Engineering Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; C416987:RFamide peptide