Neuroendocrinology最新文献

{"title":"Dynamic Profiles of Serum Kisspeptin and Delta-Like 1 Homolog during Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Stimulation in Central Precocious Puberty and Premature Thelarche.","authors":"Kulpatra Paisansukanant, Krittamate Chatdamrongsakool, Nuntika Chotipakornkul, Suphab Aroonpakmongkol, Suttipong Wacharasindhu, Vichit Supornsilchai, Khomsak Srilanchakon","doi":"10.1159/000553516","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The neuropeptides kisspeptin and delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1) regulate pubertal timing by activating and inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, respectively. Given these opposing regulatory roles, quantifying serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels during gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation may serve as novel biomarkers for distinguishing between central precocious puberty (CPP) and premature thelarche (PT) in girls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted on girls presenting with breast development before 8 years of age. Participants were stratified into CPP or PT cohorts based on peak luteinizing hormone (LH) levels following GnRH stimulation (CPP: peak LH ≥7 IU/L; PT: peak LH <7 IU/L). Serum samples were analyzed for kisspeptin and DLK1 at baseline, as well as at 60- and 120-min poststimulation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 40 girls (20 CPP and 20 PT) with comparable baseline characteristics, except for significantly advanced bone age in the CPP group (p < 0.05). Although baseline serum kisspeptin and DLK1 levels showed no significant intergroup differences, their dynamic responses to GnRH stimulation were distinct. At 60 min post stimulation, the percentage change in serum kisspeptin was significantly lower in the CPP group compared to the PT group (median -35.74% vs. 17.66%; p = 0.042). Conversely, the percentage change in DLK1 was significantly elevated in CPP patients (78.38% vs. 19.22%; p < 0.001). At 120 min, the difference in DLK1 percentage change remained significant (p < 0.001), whereas kisspeptin levels showed no significant difference (p = 0.499). A positive correlation was observed between kisspeptin and DLK1 levels at both baseline and 60 min.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings indicate that the dynamic profiles of kisspeptin and DLK1 reflect distinct neuroendocrine mechanisms distinguishing CPP from PT. These findings underscore the complexity of neuroendocrine regulation of puberty involving kisspeptin and DLK1; however, given the considerable overlap between CPP and PT patients observed in this study, their diagnostic potential as standalone or adjunctive clinical tools remains uncertain and would require validation in larger, independent cohorts.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148422978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Correlation between Thyroid Function and Mental Disorders: An Overview and Future Perspectives.","authors":"Kewen Cheng, Yi Zhang, Chunhai Zhang","doi":"10.1159/000553189","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553189","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thyroid hormones (TH), as key endocrine regulators of metabolism, nervous system development, and energy metabolism, have been demonstrated to be closely associated with various mental disorders when their levels are abnormal, leading to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This article systematically reviews the epidemiological characteristics of thyroid dysfunction, the physiological functions of THs, population heterogeneity, and patterns of comorbidity between thyroid disorders and mental disorders. It focuses on the pathological mechanisms linking thyroid function to major mental disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In addition, this article prospects future research directions, addresses current study limitations, and points to interdisciplinary approaches for clinical management, providing comprehensive evidence-based support for the combined screening and precision intervention of thyroid diseases and mental disorders.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>The paper clearly identifies the pathogenic role and biomarker value of thyroid autoantibodies, the adjunctive role of TH supplementation in the treatment of mental disorders, and the early clinical significance of thyroid function screening, further highlighting the clinical value of their interactive relationship.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148422971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Passive Smoking and Thyroid Diseases: Association by Mendelian Randomization Study.","authors":"Peijin Li, Ningjing Cai, Zhiguo Ding, Junhui Wang, Qian Wang","doi":"10.1159/000553246","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Existing literature has primarily focused on the associations between active smoking and thyroid diseases, whereas the potential causal relationship between passive smoking and thyroid diseases remains insufficiently investigated. Therefore, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the potential associations of passive smoke exposure with seven prevalent thyroid diseases.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A two-sample MR design was employed using data from the IEU OpenGWAS Project. Five MR methods were applied to assess potential causal associations. Cochran's Q test assessed heterogeneity, MR-Egger regression evaluated horizontal pleiotropy, MR-PRESSO was used to detect global pleiotropy, and leave-one-out analyses tested result robustness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Genetically predicted passive smoking was associated with increased risks of Graves' disease (odds ratio [OR] = 1.873; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.011-3.470; p = 0.046) and thyroid cancer (OR = 1.515; 95% CI: 1.080-2.125; p = 0.016) in the primary inverse variance weighting analysis, while showing an inverse association with nontoxic single thyroid nodules (OR = 0.670; 95% CI: 0.480-0.935; p = 0.019). No causal associations were observed with hyperthyroidism/thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, or subacute thyroiditis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides suggestive evidence that genetically predicted passive smoking may be associated with increased risks of Graves' disease and thyroid cancer, as well as an inverse association with nontoxic single thyroid nodules. These findings support efforts to minimize exposure to tobacco smoke among passive smokers. The inverse association with nontoxic single thyroid nodules should be interpreted cautiously and warrants further investigation. Further studies using larger and more granular datasets are required to clarify the potential causal relationships between passive smoking and thyroid diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148376216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immune-Protection and Therapeutic Effects of Neuropeptide Y on Largemouth Bass Infected with Aeromonas Hydrophila.","authors":"Tao Yang, Kingwai Lai, Ruyue Sun, Diyang Liu, Jiaqi Li, Meiqing Li, Chaowei Song, Tiansheng Zhu, Wensheng Li","doi":"10.1159/000552383","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000552383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a crucial neuroregulatory factor known to mediate diverse physiological functions in mammals, including the regulation of brain activity, vasoconstriction, feeding behavior, lipid metabolism, and immune responses. Our previous studies have demonstrated that NPY plays a significant regulatory role in the immune systems of fish. For the next, we further want to know whether NPY can be used for treatment when fish are infected with pathogenic bacteria in aquaculture.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we examined the impact of Aeromonas hydrophila infection on inflammatory responses, cellular apoptosis, and intestinal morphology in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). And then, for the first time, we explored the immune-protective and therapeutic effects of NPY on largemouth bass infected with A. hydrophila.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>It was observed that A. hydrophila infection caused severe damage to juvenile largemouth bass, including intestinal injury, mortality elevation, and inflammatory factors significant deterioration. Notably, in A. hydrophila-infected largemouth bass, intraperitoneal administration of NPY reduced the overexpression of pro-inflammatory immune factors, TNF-α, enhanced resistance to inflammatory stimuli, and mitigated tissue inflammatory damage and cellular apoptosis induced by A. hydrophila.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results demonstrate that NPY has a therapeutic effect on fish infected with bacteria by eliminating inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping the Research Landscape and Emerging Trends in Hashimoto's Encephalopathy: A CiteSpace-Based Visualization Analysis.","authors":"Qian Wang, Ningjing Cai, Zhiguo Ding, Junhui Wang, Peijin Li","doi":"10.1159/000552032","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000552032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient regions and is often accompanied by various comorbid conditions. Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) represents one of its most severe neurological complications. This study aimed to provide clinicians and researchers with a comprehensive understanding of recent research trends in HE.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>We retrieved global publications on HE from 1990 to 2025 from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometric analysis was conducted utilizing CiteSpace. As of now, 641 publications on HE have been authored by researchers across 65 countries. Yoneda Makoto has authored the largest number of publications on HE, while Brain L. is the most frequently co-cited author. The Mayo Clinic emerges as the leading institution in HE research, and the USA ranks first in terms of publication volume, maintaining a dominant position in the field. Neurology stands out as both the most prolific journal in terms of publications and the most frequently co-cited source. An analysis of keywords and cited references reveals that current research hotspots in HE primarily center on its clinical manifestations, diagnostic criteria, and serological biomarkers - particularly the role of anti-α-enolase antibodies.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>These focal points reflect ongoing efforts to better characterize the disease and enhance diagnostic accuracy. In addition, the integration of emerging technologies - such as advanced imaging, high-throughput omics, and machine learning - holds promise for developing novel strategies aimed at the early detection and more precise diagnosis of HE, potentially improving patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147856858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of Subclinical Hypothyroidism with Suicide Attempts in Early- versus Late-Onset Major Depressive Disorder.","authors":"Yu-Jiao Yuan, Hui-Hua Qu, Zhe Li, Yu-Yu Zhao, Ke Liu, Xin Li, Yu-Mei Zhang, Dong-Hua Tian, Su-Xia Li, Xiang-Yang Zhang","doi":"10.1159/000552317","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000552317","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies have associated major depressive disorder (MDD) with thyroid function. However, the relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and suicide attempts (SAs) in patients with MDD different ages at onset remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between SCH and SAs in patients with MDD different ages at onset.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We categorized 1,708 patients with MDD into early- (EOG, 18-44 years) and late-onset (LOG, 45-60 years) groups. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), and the positive sub-scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PS-PANSS) were utilized to assess patients' emotion status and psychotic symptoms. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4) were examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the EOG, the LOG had a higher proportion of females, higher marriage rate, lower education level, longer disease duration, higher HAMD, HAMA and PS-PANSS scores, higher TSH, lower FT3, and higher proportion of SCH. In the EOG, compared with those without SAs, those with SAs had a longer disease duration, shorter education, higher HAMD, HAMA, and PS-PANSS scores, higher TSH levels, accompanied by a higher incidence of SCH. While, in the LOG, compared with those without SAs, those with SAs had higher HAMD, HAMA, and PS-PANSS scores and higher TSH levels but no significant difference in the incidence of SCH. The risk factors for SAs in the EOG included disease duration (OR = 1.038, 95% CI 1.001-1.077), HAMD (OR = 1.122 95% CI 1.036-1.214), HAMA (OR = 1.302, 95% CI 1.217-1.392), PS-PANSS (OR = 0.954, 95% CI 0.912-0.997), and TSH level (OR = 1.224, 95% CI 1.143-1.311), while in the LOG encompassed HAMA (OR = 1.213, 95% CI 1.096-1.343) and TSH levels (OR = 1.140, 95% CI 1.028-1.264).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Elevated TSH levels and greater anxiety severity were associated with SAs in first-episode, drug-naïve patients with MDD, and correlates of SAs appeared to differ between early- and late-onset groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147840759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oxytocin and Nociceptive Processing: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.","authors":"Takashi Maruyama, Hiromichi Ueno, Hiroaki Fujihara, Yoichi Ueta","doi":"10.1159/000551710","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551710","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei, is traditionally known for its roles in parturition and lactation. However, accumulating evidence indicates that OXT also functions as an endogenous analgesic modulator acting through central and peripheral pathways.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the role of OXT for pain modulation, focusing on descending hypothalamo-spinal projections, peripheral neuroendocrine mechanisms, and novel experimental approaches using transgenic and chemogenetic rat models. We also discuss new findings on the OXT-mediated analgesic effects of the traditional Kampo medicine Kamikihi-to and chemogenetic activation of OXT neurons in fibromyalgia models.</p><p><strong>Key messages: </strong>Together, these studies establish OXT as a multi-level modulator of nociception, bridging neuroendocrinology and pain research.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147654500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hormonal Rhythm Disturbance Is a Potential Contributor to Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction of Pituitary Tumor Surgery.","authors":"Mengni Li, Xiaoqing Song, Shujun Zhang, Weijie Xu, Xiaoli Shi, Kun Dong, Xuefeng Yu, Yan Yang, Qinghai Tan, Wenjie Wei, Xi Chen","doi":"10.1159/000551446","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551446","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common disorder following surgery. The mechanisms underlying this are still under exploration. We hypothesize that hormonal changes in patients who have undergone pituitary surgery contribute to the pathogenesis of POCD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a 12-month follow-up study, a total of 103 patients with pituitary adenoma who received pituitary surgery were included. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their postoperative hormonal supplement: stable, sufficient, and insufficient to eliminate the effects of surgery and hormone dosage. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were employed as evaluation tools to assess the degree of cognitive impairment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The MoCA score in the stable group showed no significant decrease, while in the sufficient and insufficient groups, the score began to decrease from the 6th month compared to the 0 month of each group. Compared to the stable group at the same time point, the MoCA scores in both groups decreased at the 6th month and 12th month. A similar trend was observed in the MMSE score. Cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment and dementia) in both the sufficient group and the insufficient group increased significantly by the 3rd month after surgery, but the rate of increase was much slower subsequently in the sufficient group than in the insufficient group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study confirms that POCD is highly prevalent in patients after pituitary tumor surgery. Postoperative hormone deficiency plays a crucial role in the progression of POCD, especially adrenocorticotropic hormone and the glucocorticoids it affects. It is worth mentioning that a novel aspect of our study is the identification of hormonal rhythm disturbance as a potential contributor to POCD, which provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of POCD in pituitary surgery. We call for more personalized and chronobiological hormone replacement therapy approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147458649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foxiangsan Modulates Dopaminergic and Motilin Pathways to Improve Gastrointestinal Motility in Diabetic Gastroparesis.","authors":"Jukai Huang, Shu Zhang, Shuli Cheng, Xiaohui Yang","doi":"10.1159/000551403","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000551403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is a severe diabetic complication with limited therapeutic options. This study investigates the effects of Foxiangsan on DGP and elucidates its molecular mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A rat model of DGP was established and divided into 5 groups: model (MG), western medicine (WMG, domperidone), and 3 Foxiangsan dose groups (LDG, MDG, HDG). Serum dopamine (DA) and motilin levels, along with striatal DA receptor D2 (DRD2) expression, were measured. Network pharmacology identified bioactive compounds and targets, and pathway enrichment and molecular docking were used to evaluate mechanistic interactions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Foxiangsan significantly improved gastrointestinal motility, increased motilin levels, reduced DA levels, and enhanced DRD2 expression in the striatum. Network pharmacology identified DRD2, AKT1, and MAPK3 as key targets, while molecular docking confirmed strong binding affinities of bioactive compounds such as β-sitosterol and baicalein with DRD2. The therapeutic effects of Foxiangsan involve modulation of the cAMP, serotonin, and DA pathways.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Foxiangsan exerts multicomponent, multi-target, and multi-pathway actions in DGP by modulating neuroendocrine function, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic approach. Further investigations are needed to confirm its clinical efficacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"200-218"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kisspeptin-Dependent Puberty Onset Triggered by Increased <i>Kiss1</i> and <i>Pdyn</i> Expression in Arcuate <i>Tac3</i> Neurons under Reduced Estrogen Negative Feedback and Sufficient Energy Balance in Female Rats.","authors":"Mayuko Nagae, Sutisa Majarune, Takuma Kobayashi, Pelden Nima, Kei Horihata, Kenji Takase, Junya Hirata, Hisanori Matsui, Hirokazu Matsumoto, Naoko Inoue, Hiroko Tsukamura, Yoshihisa Uenoyama","doi":"10.1159/000548403","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000548403","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The prepubertal quiescence of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion in mammals is considered due to repressed Kiss1 (encoding kisspeptin) expression in kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin A (KNDy) neurons. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of negative feedback levels of estradiol-17β (low E2) and energy balance on Kiss1, Tac3 (encoding neurokinin B), and Pdyn (encoding dynorphin A) expression in ovariectomized (OVX) pre- and postpubertal rats and the effects of central kisspeptin immunoneutralization on puberty onset in ovary-intact rats.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Kiss1, Tac3, and Pdyn expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus was determined using in situ hybridization or quantitative RT-PCR. Vaginal opening and first estrus were examined as indices of puberty.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Low E2 markedly reduced the number of Kiss1-expressing cells in OVX prepubertal rats under normal diet and food-restricted conditions but had no effect in postpubertal rats. The number of Pdyn-expressing cells was significantly lower in prepubertal rats than in postpubertal rats under both dietary conditions. The numbers of Tac3-expressing cells remained elevated in all models. Furthermore, central infusion of anti-kisspeptin antibody significantly delayed puberty onset in female rats.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that kisspeptin-dependent puberty onset in female rats is likely to be triggered by the coordinated upregulation of Kiss1 and Pdyn expression in KNDy neurons under conditions of reduced estrogen negative feedback and sufficient energy availability. In contrast, Tac3 likely plays a permissive role in puberty onset. Taken together, these results provide novel insights into how estrogen and metabolic signals converge in KNDy neurons to regulate puberty onset.</p>","PeriodicalId":19117,"journal":{"name":"Neuroendocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"18-31"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145065332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}