ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology

Brief summary: A newly developed mouse model of congenital ablation of Dicer in kisspeptin neurons was used to identify a role for miRNAs in kisspeptin neuron activity and control of reproduction.The last few years have seen a shift in paradigm with the discovery of epigenetic mechanisms regulating GnRH neuron activity and thus puberty and reproduction. In particular, miRNAs appear to play a crucial role in the maturation and function of the hypothalamic...

To read the full abstract: Environmental health perspectives vol. 127,10 (2019): 107011. doi: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP5570?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmedThis study identifies the effects of exposure to environmentally rel...

Metabolism. 2022 Apr;129:155141. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155141. Epub 2022 Jan 22. PMID: 35074314. https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(22)00019-1/fulltextBrief Summary: the authors used pharmacological and transgenic models to demonstrate the role of GRK2, G protein coupled-recept...

To read the full abstract: Nat Commun. 2018 Oct 10;9(1):4194.This study identifies Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a fuel-sensing deacetylase, as a molecule that restrains female puberty via epigenetic repression of the puberty-activating gene, Kiss1 in rats.The last few years have brought evidence regarding the epigenetic control of the onset of puberty. It is now cle...

Cell Metab. 2020 Dec 1;32(6):951–966.e8. 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.10.001. PMID: 33080217. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413120305349?via%3DihubIn brief: This study reveals the critical role of hypothalamic ceramide synthesis in the induction of precocious puberty in obe...

To read the full abstract: PLoS biology vol. 17,11 e3000532. 7 Nov. 2019. doi: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000532This study unravels the role of the miR-30/Mkrn3 pathway in the hypothalamic regulation of puberty Puberty onset is triggered by a hypothalamic network of interconnected...

To read the full abstract: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Nov 6;115(45):E10758–E10767.The authors show for the first time that central AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the major cellular energy sensor, interplays with Kiss1 to control puberty onset.AMPK is an indispensable cellular energy sensor (1). Beside its ability to directly sense ener...

Brief Summary: This study provides evidence for the role of miR-137/325 in obesity-induced hypogonadism (OIH) and metabolic dysfunction.Obesity is associated with different forms of gonadal and reproductive dysfunction, including central male hypogonadism (1, 2). Although weight loss is the ideal therapeutic strategy for patients with OIH, significant weight loss is usually difficult to achieve only with lifestyle changes. Hence, androgen administration ...