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Free fatty acids induce Lhb mRNA but suppress Fshb mRNA in pituitary LβT2 gonadotropes and diet-induced obesity reduces FSH levels in male mice and disrupts the proestrous LH/FSH surge in female mice.

Endocrinology | 2013

Female obesity is associated with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenemia, and reproductive dysfunction. We hypothesized that elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) might directly modulate pituitary gonadotropin production. FFAs caused a time- and dose-dependent increase in phosphorylation of the MAPKs p38MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-1/2, and ERK1/2 in LβT2 gonadotrope cells. Furthermore, FFAs up-regulated Lhb mRNA expression acutely, an effect that was blocked by JNK inhibition, but suppressed Fshb mRNA expression, an effect that was independent of MAPK signaling. FFAs enhanced the activation of the MAPKs in the presence of GnRH, although the cotreatment did not alter Lhb induction but did eliminate the GnRH induction of Fshb. FFAs also suppressed activin-induced Fshb expression. Knockdown experiments showed that the FFA effect on the inflammatory kinases p38MAPK and JNK and on Lhb, but not Fshb, mRNA expression is mediated via toll-like receptor-2 and toll-like receptor-4 and was mimicked by lipopolysaccharide stimulation. In vivo, male C57BL/6 mice on a high-fat diet showed reduced FSH levels consistent with the suppression of Fshb seen in vitro. Histological analysis of the testes showed an increased number of abnormal seminiferous tubules. Female mice on a high-fat diet lacked the expected proestrus LH and FSH surge and exhibited an increase in the number of days at estrus and a reduced number of days at proestrus, and ovaries had significantly fewer corpora lutea. Taken together, our findings suggest that lipid excess can lead to reproductive defects in both male and female mice.

Pubmed ID: 23525221 RIS Download

Associated grants

  • Agency: NICHD NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01 HD047400
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R24 DK090962
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P01 DK074868
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01 DK033651
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P30 DK063491
  • Agency: NCI NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P30 CA023100
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: T32 DK007494
  • Agency: NICHD NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P50 HD012303
  • Agency: BLRD VA, United States
    Id: I01 BX000130
  • Agency: NCI NIH HHS, United States
    Id: U54 CA155435
  • Agency: NICHD NIH HHS, United States
    Id: U54 HD012303
  • Agency: NIDDK NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R37 DK033651

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