Relationships between leptin, KiSS-1/GPR54 expression and TSH secretion from pituitary cells of pubertal ewes in vitro

•Leptin affects KiSS-1/GPR54 system expression in pituitary cells of pubertal ewes.•Leptin (10− 10-10− 7 M) stimulates KiSS-10 secretion and KiSS-1 expression in vitro.•10− 5 M of leptin reduces KiSS-10 secretion and KiSS-1 expression in ewes in vitro.•The addition of KiSS-10 changes TSH secretion from pituitary cells only after 2 h.•KiSS-10 does not influence TSH secretion after 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 h in vitro.

Kisspeptin and leptin play a crucial role in the puberty of sheep as they initiate the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Also hormones of thyrotropic axis are probably involved in this process. The aim of study was to analyze the impact of leptin on kisspeptin-10 secretion as well as kisspeptin-1 and G protein-coupled receptor (GPR54) mRNA expression in pituitary cells of pubertal ewes in vitro. The influence of kisspeptin on TSH secretion was also examined. Cells were cultured in McCoy's 5A medium without hormones; with 10− 10-10− 5 M of leptin; with 10− 11-10− 5 M of kisspeptin-10; with peptide 234 (10− 7 M, antagonist of GPR54) or 10− 11-10− 5 M of kisspeptin-10 and peptide 234. Then, kisspeptin-10 and TSH secretion as well as KiSS-1 and GPR54 expression were analyzed. We found that leptin directly affected kisspeptin-10 secretion and kisspeptin-1/GPR54 expression in pituitary cells of pubertal ewes. Kisspeptin-10 did not change TSH secretion, except exerting a short-term influence after 2 h.