TY - JOUR TI - A role for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing cells in the regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) but not arcuate kisspeptin neuron output in male mice AU - Vanacker, Charlotte AU - Defazio, R Anthony AU - Sykes, Charlene M AU - Moenter, Suzanne M A2 - Elmquist, Joel K A2 - Dulac, Catherine VL - 10 PY - 2021 DA - 2021/07/22 SP - e68205 C1 - eLife 2021;10:e68205 DO - 10.7554/eLife.68205 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.68205 AB - GnRH neurons are the final central neural output regulating fertility. Kisspeptin neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (KNDy neurons) are considered the main regulator of GnRH output. GnRH and KNDy neurons are surrounded by astrocytes, which can modulate neuronal activity and communicate over distances. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), synthesized primarily by astrocytes, increases GnRH neuron activity and downstream pituitary release of luteinizing hormone (LH). We hypothesized that glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes play a role in regulating GnRH and/or KNDy neuron activity and LH release. We used adeno-associated viruses to target designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) to GFAP-expressing cells to activate Gq- or Gi-mediated signaling. Activating Gq signaling in the preoptic area, near GnRH neurons, but not in the arcuate, increases LH release in vivo and GnRH firing in vitro via a mechanism in part dependent upon PGE2. These data suggest that astrocytes can activate GnRH/LH release in a manner independent of KNDy neurons. KW - reproductive biology KW - GnRH KW - neuroendocrinology KW - LH KW - kisspeptin KW - hypothalamus JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -