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Study · Animal study (in vivo) · african lion (panthera leo) · 2022

4 results

Provocative tests with Kisspeptin-10 and GnRH set the scene for determining social status and environmental impacts on reproductive capacity in male African lions (Panthera leo).

Ludwig M, Newton C, Pieters A, Homer NZM, Feng Li X, O'Byrne KT, Millar RP

General and comparative endocrinology20 Sept 2022Cited by 1 (Europe PMC)

PMID36150474 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114127 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-36150474
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
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Summary

Understanding the hypothalamic factors regulating reproduction facilitates maximising the reproductive success of breeding programmes and in the management and conservation of threatened species, including African lions. To provide insight into the physiology and pathophysiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal reproductive axis in lions, we studied the luteinising hormone (LH) and steroid hormone responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its upstream regulator, kisspeptin. Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study. Lions were immobilised with a combination of medetomidine and ketamine and an intravenous catheter was placed in a jugular, cephalic or medial saphenous vein for blood sampling at 10-min intervals for 220 min. The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Basal LH levels were similarly low between the age groups, but testosterone and its precursor levels were higher in the adult animals. Adult lions showed a significant LH response to KP-10 (10-fold) and GnRH (11-fold) administration (p < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) whereas in young lions LH increased significantly only in response to GnRH. In adults alone, testosterone and its precursors steadily increased in response to KP-10, with no significant further increase in response to GnRH. Plasma levels of glucocorticoids in response to KP-10 remained unchanged. We suggest that provocative testing of LH and steroid stimulation with kisspeptin provides a new and sensitive tool for determining reproductive status and possibly an index of exposure to stress, environmental insults such as disease, endocrine disruptors and nutritional status. 272 words.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study4

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

  1. 01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In young male lions, LH did not rise significantly after kisspeptin‑10; it rose only after GnRH.

    In plain wordsIn young male lions, kisspeptin‑10 did not raise LH significantly; GnRH did.

    Peptide
    Kisspeptin-10
    Outcome
    No significant changeLH response to kisspeptin-10 in young lions
    Study

    African lion (Panthera leo)n = 6

    immobilised male lions
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    1 µg/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (African lion (Panthera leo)).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    whereas in young lions LH increased significantly only in response to GnRH.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study.
    Summary · context
    The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively.
  2. 02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In adult male lions, kisspeptin‑10 produced a 10-fold rise in LH (p < 0.05).

    In plain wordsIn adult male lions, kisspeptin‑10 raised LH about 10-fold.

    Peptide
    Kisspeptin-10
    Outcome
    IncreaseLH response to kisspeptin-10 in adult lions
    Study

    African lion (Panthera leo)n = 4

    immobilised male lions
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    1 µg/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (African lion (Panthera leo)).

    Measurements

    LH response
    10 fold
    adult lions, KP-10

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Adult lions showed a significant LH response to KP-10 (10-fold) and GnRH (11-fold) administration (p < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively) whereas in young lions LH increased significantly only in response to GnRH.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study.
    Summary · context
    The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively.
  3. 03AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In adult male lions, testosterone and its precursors increased steadily after kisspeptin‑10, with no further significant rise after GnRH.

    In plain wordsIn adult male lions, kisspeptin‑10 raised testosterone and its precursors steadily.

    Peptide
    Kisspeptin-10
    Outcome
    IncreaseTestosterone and precursors in adult lions
    Study

    African lion (Panthera leo)n = 4

    immobilised male lions
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    1 µg/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (African lion (Panthera leo)).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    In adults alone, testosterone and its precursors steadily increased in response to KP-10, with no significant further increase in response to GnRH.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study.
    Summary · context
    The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively.
  4. 04AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome

    In male lions, plasma glucocorticoid levels remained unchanged after kisspeptin‑10.

    In plain wordsIn male lions, kisspeptin‑10 did not change glucocorticoid levels.

    Peptide
    Kisspeptin-10
    Outcome
    No significant changePlasma glucocorticoids
    Study

    African lion (Panthera leo)n: not reported in source

    immobilised male lions
    Outcome group
    Sex hormones and fertility · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    1 µg/kg · intravenousAs given in this study (African lion (Panthera leo)).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Plasma levels of glucocorticoids in response to KP-10 remained unchanged.
    2 context sentences
    Summary · context
    Six young (13.3 ± 1.7 months, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) and four adult (40.2 ± 1.4 months, 174 ± 6 kg) male lions (Ukutula Conservation Centre, South Africa) were used in this study.
    Summary · context
    The ten-amino acid kisspeptin which has full intrinsic activity (KP-10, 1 µg/kg) and GnRH (1 µg/kg) were administered intravenously to study their effects on LH and steroid hormone plasma concentrations, measured subsequently by ELISA and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    10 Oct 2026, 09:43 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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