title: Prostaglandins and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
abstract: The hypothalamic-pituitary (H-P) axis integrates complex physiological and environmental signals and responds to these cues by modulating the synthesis and secretion of multiple pituitary hormones to regulate peripheral tissues. Prostaglandins are a component of this regulatory system, affecting multiple hormone synthesis and secretion pathways in the H-P axis. The implications of these actions are that physiological processes or disease states that alter prostaglandin levels in the hypothalamus or pituitary can impinge on H-P axis function. Considering the role of prostaglandins in mediating inflammation, the potential for neuroinflammation to affect H-P axis function in this manner may be significant. In addition, the mitigating effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on the inflammation-associated synthesis of prostaglandins and their role as substrates for pro-resolving lipid mediators may also include effects in the H-P axis. One context in which neuroinflammation may play a role is in the etiology of diet-induced obesity, which also correlates with altered pituitary hormone levels. This review will survey evidence for the actions of prostaglandins and other lipid mediators in the H-P axis, and will address the potential for obesity-associated inflammation and n-3 PUFA to impinge on these mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, United States. Electronic address: shewchukb@ecu.edu.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Shewchuk
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology; D007249:Inflammation; D009765:Obesity; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D011453:Prostaglandins
keywords: Hypothalamus; Neuroinflammation; Obesity; Pituitary; Prostaglandin; n-3 PUFA