Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34787076›Full record

ArticleeLife2021

Modulation of pulsatile GnRH dynamics across the ovarian cycle via changes in the network excitability and basal activity of the arcuate kisspeptin network.

Margaritis Voliotis, Xiao Feng Li, Ross Alexander De Burgh, Geffen Lass, Deyana Ivanova, Caitlin McIntyre, Kevin O'Byrne, Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in eLife, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Effects of menopause on temperature regulation.Temperature (Austin, Tex.) · 2025
    Review
  8. Article
  9. Calcium Imaging in Hypothalamic Cells.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2025
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Obesity Alters POMC and Kisspeptin Neuron Cross Talk Leading to Reduced Luteinizing Hormone in Male Mice.The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience · 2024
    Article
  14. Article
  15. New methods to investigate the GnRH pulse generator.Journal of molecular endocrinology · 2024
    Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Margaritis Voliotis *Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-6488-7198
Xiao Feng Li *Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Ross Alexander De Burgh *Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Geffen LassDepartment of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Deyana IvanovaDepartment of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Caitlin McIntyreDepartment of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Kevin O'ByrneDepartment of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Krasimira Tsaneva-AtanasovaDepartment of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-6294-7051
King's College London · GBUniversity of Exeter · GB

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/S000550/1Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/S001255/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Pulsatile GnRH release is essential for normal reproductive function. Kisspeptin secreting neurons found in the arcuate nucleus, known as KNDy neurons for co-expressing neurokinin B, and dynorphin, drive pulsatile GnRH release. Furthermore, gonadal steroids regulate GnRH pulsatile dynamics across the ovarian cycle by altering KNDy neurons' signalling properties. However, the precise mechanism of regulation remains mostly unknown. To better understand these mechanisms, we start by perturbing the KNDy system at different stages of the estrous cycle using optogenetics. We find that optogenetic stimulation of KNDy neurons stimulates pulsatile GnRH/LH secretion in estrous mice but inhibits it in diestrous mice. These in vivo results in combination with mathematical modelling suggest that the transition between estrus and diestrus is underpinned by well-orchestrated changes in neuropeptide signalling and in the excitability of the KNDy population controlled via glutamate signalling. Guided by model predictions, we show that blocking glutamate signalling in diestrous animals inhibits LH pulses, and that optic stimulation of the KNDy population mitigates this inhibition. In estrous mice, disruption of glutamate signalling inhibits pulses generated via sustained low-frequency optic stimulation of the KNDy population, supporting the idea that the level of network excitability is critical for pulse generation. Our results reconcile previous puzzling findings regarding the estradiol-dependent effect that several neuromodulators have on the GnRH pulse generator dynamics. Therefore, we anticipate our model to be a cornerstone for a more quantitative understanding of the pathways via which gonadal steroids regulate GnRH pulse generator dynamics. Finally, our results could inform useful repurposing of drugs targeting the glutamate system in reproductive therapy.

Indexed as

DiestrusEstrusAnimalsArcuate Nucleus of HypothalamusFemaleGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneKisspeptinsMiceMice, TransgenicGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneKisspeptinsGnRH pulse generatorKNDymathematical modelmouseneuroscienceoptogenetics

Identifiers

PMID34787076
PMCPMC8651288
OpenAlexW3213635683

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.