10.5061/DRYAD.KV011
Bailey, Allison M.
Indiana University Bloomington
Legan, Sandra J.
University of Kentucky
Demas, Gregory E.
Indiana University Bloomington
Data from: Exogenous kisspeptin enhances seasonal reproductive function in
male Siberian hamsters
Dryad
dataset
2018
RFamide
food restriction
intermediate photoperiod
Phodopus sungorus
gonadal regression
2018-02-09T00:00:00Z
2018-02-09T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12846
12991 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Animals living in temperate climates are faced with the challenge of
reproducing only when environmental conditions are suitable for offspring
survival. Environmental cues signalling current and future energy
availability (e.g., food availability and photoperiod respectively) are
used to appropriately time reproduction. The precise neuroendocrine
mechanisms regulating reproduction in response to these cues are unknown.
The goal of the present study was to investigate a functional role for
kisspeptin, a neuropeptide that shows promise as a key regulator of
seasonal reproduction, in integrating multiple environmental cues to
regulate reproduction in the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus).
Siberian hamsters undergo robust gonadal regression and terminate
reproduction in unsuitable environments [short winter-like day lengths
(photoperiods), low food availability]. Adult male hamsters were housed in
short-day or intermediate photoperiods, received either ad-libitum access
to food or mild food restriction, and were treated with either kisspeptin
or a vehicle for 6 weeks to determine the ability of kisspeptin to
attenuate gonadal regression. Hamsters exhibited varying degrees of
gonadal regression in response to inhibitory environments (short-day
photoperiod, food restriction). Kisspeptin treatment successfully enhanced
testis mass under these inhibitory conditions, but did not affect normal
seasonal changes in body mass and food intake. Thus, kisspeptin
specifically enhanced reproductive function without altering other,
non-reproductive physiological responses to these environmental
treatments. The inhibitory environmental conditions used in this study
caused little if any decline in serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and
testosterone over the course of the experiment. Kisspeptin treatment
tended to exacerbate the decline in LH within individuals, but there were
no significant effects of kisspeptin when comparing changes in the hormone
levels amongst groups. The interesting outcome that kisspeptin enhanced
testis mass, apparently independently of hypothalamic endocrine
mechanisms, suggests the possibility of local kisspeptin action within the
gonads. Overall, we show a functional role for kisspeptin in integrating
complex environmental information to specifically support reproduction.
Future work should focus on direct effects of kisspeptin at the gonadal
level of the HPG axis as well as its interactions with the metabolic
functions and other hormones involved in reproduction, e.g.,
gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH).
Exogenous kisspeptin enhances seasonal reproductive function in male
Siberian hamstersContains all raw data used in the Functional Ecology
article "Exogenous kisspeptin enhances seasonal reproductive function
in male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)" by Allison Bailey,
Sandra Legan, and Gregory Demas, including hamster body mass, food intake,
estimated testis volume, final reproductive mass, and serum hormone
concentrations.