Location: Livestock Bio-Systems
Project Number: 3040-31320-001-007-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 2, 2024
End Date: Aug 29, 2025
Objective:
The long-term goal is to improve reproductive development of pigs. We will use a innovative line of pigs in which the KISS1 gene has been knockout out to provide novel foundational insights into mechanisms controlling reproductive biology in the pig. To fill critical gaps in knowledge, the specific objectives will be to identify how the loss of KISS1 affects mechanisms of central regulation of gonadotropin secretion and gonadotroph cells in the pig and determine how these regulatory mechanisms differ between gilts and boars; how early gonadal development is affected; and identify the potential for direct effects of kisspeptin on the gonad and production of fertile gametes.
Approach:
Serial blood samples will be collected from KISS1 knockout (KO) pigs (gilts and boars) at various ages and under different physiological conditions for analyses of reproductive hormones by radioimmunoassay (RIA) purchased commercially (steroids) or that have been developed in-house (glycoprotein hormones). Physiological conditions such as after gonadectomy or treatment with specific hormonal agonists will be evaluated. Tissues such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovary and testis will be collected for in vitro testing of gene and protein expression. Immunohistochemistry, western blots, or LC-MS/MS methods will be used to quantify proteins. Polymerase chain reactions or whole genome transcriptomics will be used to quantify differences in gene expression.
