Abstract

Initiation and progression of puberty is a critical event for mammals. Various neuronal and hormonal cues are required for normal onset of puberty. GnRH is the major hormone involved in regulation of these mechanisms. Regulation of this complex process is controlled by multiple genes which encode respective proteins used as stimulatory inputs like glutamate, kisspeptin etc. or inhibitory inputs. These genes include KISS1/Kiss1, KISSR, Kissr, Tac3, TacR3, LEP, EAP1 etc. Findings of different studies are reviewed. Significance of Tac3 and TacR3 is evaluated by administering its agonist senktide in prepubertal female rats which results in increased LH secretion. Moreover, expression of Kiss1 gene is more sensitive to negative feedback effect of sex-steroids early in puberty than Tac2 expression. EAP1 is essential for normal menstrual cycle in female monkeys. LIN28A and LIN28B are considered essential for pubertal development and are good candidate genes for monogenic ICCP. Similarly, mutations in Leptin gene (LEP) result in abnormalities including obesity, delayed puberty and CDGP etc..

Keywords: Puberty genes; Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH); Kisspeptin

Abbreviations: IHH: Ideopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism; CCP: Central Precocious Puberty; ICCP: Ideopathic Central Precocious Puberty; CDGP: Constitutional Delay in Growth and Puberty; LEP: Leptin Gene