Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Oct;34(10):e13201.
doi: 10.1111/jne.13201. Epub 2022 Oct 19.

Invited review: Translating kisspeptin and neurokinin B biology into new therapies for reproductive health

Edouard G Mills  1   2 , Waljit S Dhillo  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Invited review: Translating kisspeptin and neurokinin B biology into new therapies for reproductive health

Edouard G Mills et al. J Neuroendocrinol. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

The reproductive neuropeptide kisspeptin has emerged as the master regulator of mammalian reproduction due to its key roles in the initiation of puberty and the control of fertility. Alongside the tachykinin neurokinin B and the endogenous opioid dynorphin, these peptides are central to the hormonal control of reproduction. Building on the expanding body of experimental animal models, interest has flourished with human studies revealing that kisspeptin administration stimulates physiological reproductive hormone secretion in both healthy men and women, as well as patients with common reproductive disorders. In addition, emerging therapeutic roles based on neurokinin B for the management of menopausal flushing, endometriosis and uterine fibroids are increasingly recognised. In this review, we focus on kisspeptin and neurokinin B and their potential application as novel clinical strategies for the management of reproductive disorders.

Keywords: fertility; kisspeptin; neurokinin B; reproduction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

EGM has nothing to declare. WSD has undertaken consultancy for Myovant Sciences Ltd and KaNDy Therapeutics.

References

    1. Datta J, Palmer MJ, Tanton C, et al. Prevalence of infertility and help seeking among 15 000 women and men. Hum Reprod. 2016;31:2108‐2118. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Anderson RA, Millar RP. The roles of kisspeptin and neurokinin B in GnRH pulse generation in humans, and their potential clinical application. J Neuroendocrinol. 2022;34:e13081. - PubMed
    1. Lee JH, Miele ME, Hicks DJ, et al. KiSS‐1, a novel human malignant melanoma metastasis‐suppressor gene. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996;88:1731‐1737. - PubMed
    1. Lee DK, Nguyen T, O'Neill GP, et al. Discovery of a receptor related to the Galanin receptors. FEBS Lett. 1999;446:103‐107. - PubMed
    1. Ohtaki T, Shintani Y, Honda S, et al. Metastasis suppressor gene KiSS‐1 encodes peptide ligand of a G‐protein‐coupled receptor. Nature. 2001;411:613‐617. - PubMed

Publication types