脂肪细胞分泌的瘦素作为新陈代谢的信号因子在动物繁殖过程中扮演着重要的角色。由能量负平衡造成的血液中瘦素浓度降低或因缺少功能性的瘦素及其受体时会导致动物初情期启动发生紊乱。近年来研究表明,瘦素能调节下丘脑Kiss-1神经元Kisspeptin蛋白分泌来影响下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴功能,进而引起动物一系列生理活动的变化。因此,本文结合近年来的新发现总结了瘦素对哺乳动物初情启动的影响及其可能的作用机制。
The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin plays a critical role as a metabolic cue for the reproductive system. Conditions of low leptin levels observed in negative energy balance and loss-of-function mutations of leptin or leptin receptor genes are characterized by disorder of puberty onset. In recent years, advances have been made for identifying that Kiss-1 neurones are direct targets for regulation by leptin and then Kisspeptin product by Kiss-1 neurones activation the GnRH neurons then operate and integrate at the hypothalamie-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Therefore, in this review, we discuss recent advances made in the field and highlight the questions yet to be answered.