The in vitro investigation of neuroendocrine effects of the asprosin hormone in hypothalamic cell lines

When body fat and muscle weight reach a certain threshold, various metabolic signals transmit this information to the hypothalamic neuronal network that regulates the onset of puberty and thus reproductive function. However, the nature of these metabolic triggers is still unclear. In the literature, the role of various excitatory and inhibitory metabolic signals such as leptin, insulin and ghrelin in linking body weight/metabolic status information with the neuroendocrine reproductive axis has been established. However, these factors alone are not metabolic regulators of puberty and reproduction. Accordingly, there is a need to investigate other potential signals that may be related to body fat/muscle mass. Asprosin, a hormone released from white adipose tissue cells, causes a rapid release of glucose from the liver into the circulation. The understanding that asprosine secreted from adipose tissue controls the release of glucose from the liver into the bloodstream on the one hand, and its sperm motility-enhancing effect on the other, leads to the thought that this hormone may play a key role between energy metabolism and the onset of reproductive activities in men. However, the mechanism of action of asprosine on the neuroendocrine reproductive axis is still not fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of asprosine on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and kisspeptin neurons in order to examine the possible effects of asprosine on hypothalamic cell lines on the transition to puberty with in vitro studies. Immortal hypothalamic cell lines GnRH (mHypoA GFP), GnIH (mHypoA50) and kisspeptin (mHypoA GFP3) were used in the study. The effects of asprosine at different doses (1 nM, 10 nM and 100 nM) and at different times (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes) on GnRH, GnIH and Kisspeptin secretion in these cell lines were determined by ELISA method. Data were analyzed using Students't test and one-way analysis of variance and analysis of variance followed by post-hoc Tukey's test. In the GnRH cell line in which asprosine was administered at doses of 1 nM and 10 nM; GnRH was significantly decreased at all times and significantly increased at 100 nM. In the GnIH cell line, a significant increase in GnIH level was observed at 30., 60. minutes at 1nM and 10 nM asprosine doses, while at 100 nM dose; a significant decrease was observed only at 120 minutes. In the kisspeptin cell line, 1 nM and 10 nM asprosine treatment caused a significant decrease in kisspeptin levels at all times, while no significant difference was observed at 100 nM dose. These findings suggest that asprosine may have an effect on hypothalamic cell lines. This suggests that it may play an important role in the transition to puberty and central regulation of the reproductive system.