Bioscientifica Proceedings

The occurrence of puberty in the female is due to the interplay of central and peripheral mechanisms in which the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis regulates growth and gonadal function, as well as adipocyte hormone secretion. Hypothalamic GnRH mRNA expression increased at 3.5 months of age and declined by 6 months of age. Concomitant with the age related reduction in the oestrogen negative feedback on LH secretion was a decline in hypothalamic oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) expression and increased expression of repressor of ER activity gene (REA) at 210 days of age. Hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin expression increased at 6 months of age followed by increased expression of progesterone receptor (PR) membrane compliment-1 and steroid membrane binding protein gene at 210 days of age. This represents development of the endogenous opioid peptide-progesterone dependent LH inhibitory pathway. Adipose tissue leptin and insulin like growth factor -I (IGF-I) gene expression increased with age and adiposity. Pituitary transcription factors, steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) and Lhx3, and LHβ and FSHβ gene expression increased with age. These results identify key hypothalamic and pituitary genes associated with changes in LH secretion and growth during pubertal development and adipose tissue genes and secreted proteins related to maturation of the neuroendocrine axis and puberty.

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