Estrous Cycle-Dependent Expression of Nucleobindin-2/Nesfatin-1 in the Porcine Hypothalamus: Colocalization with GnRH and Kisspeptin
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
- 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 1A, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
- 3Department of Anatomy and Histology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska 30, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland
- 4Laboratory of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
Abstract
Nesfatin-1, an 82-amino-acid anorexigenic peptide derived from nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2), is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis and is increasingly recognized as a modulator of reproductive function. The present study aimed to determine NUCB2 gene and protein expression in the porcine hypothalamus, examine their colocalization with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin (KISS1), and evaluate circulating nesfatin-1 levels during the estrous cycle. Analyses were performed in two hypothalamic regions: the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) and preoptic area (POA) collected during the cycle. In the MBH, NUCB2 gene expression was lower on days 17–19 than on the remaining examined days, whereas NUCB2 protein abundance was highest on days 2–3. In the POA, NUCB2 mRNA expression peaked on days 14–16, while the protein abundance was higher on days 10–12 than on days 14–16. In both hypothalamic regions, NUCB2/nesfatin-1 immunoreactivity overlapped with GnRH and KISS1 immunosignals. In addition, plasma nesfatin-1 concentrations were lower on days 17–19 than during the other examined stages of the cycle. Overall, these findings demonstrate cycle-dependent, region-specific expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in the porcine hypothalamus and support a potential association of nesfatin-1 with hypothalamic pathways involved in reproductive regulation.
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BibTeX
@article{traut2026estrous,
title = {{Estrous Cycle-Dependent Expression of Nucleobindin-2/Nesfatin-1 in the Porcine Hypothalamus: Colocalization with GnRH and Kisspeptin}},
author = {Milena Traut and Ewa Zaobidna and Aleksandra Tkacz and Kamil Dobrzyn and Marta Kiezun and Barbara Kierczuk and Marlena Gudelska and Katarzyna Kisielewska and Agnieszka Rak and Nina Smolinska and Tadeusz Kaminski},
journal = {Cells},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/cells15211919},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1919},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Estrous Cycle-Dependent Expression of Nucleobindin-2/Nesfatin-1 in the Porcine Hypothalamus: Colocalization with GnRH and Kisspeptin
AU - Milena Traut
AU - Ewa Zaobidna
AU - Aleksandra Tkacz
AU - Kamil Dobrzyn
AU - Marta Kiezun
AU - Barbara Kierczuk
AU - Marlena Gudelska
AU - Katarzyna Kisielewska
AU - Agnieszka Rak
AU - Nina Smolinska
AU - Tadeusz Kaminski
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Cells
DO - 10.3390/cells15211919
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/15/21/1919
AB - Nesfatin-1, an 82-amino-acid anorexigenic peptide derived from nucleobindin-2 (NUCB2), is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis and is increasingly recognized as a modulator of reproductive function. The present study aimed to determine NUCB2 gene and protein expression in the porcine hypothalamus, examine their colocalization with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and kisspeptin (KISS1), and evaluate circulating nesfatin-1 levels during the estrous cycle. Analyses were performed in two hypothalamic regions: the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) and preoptic area (POA) collected during the cycle. In the MBH, NUCB2 gene expression was lower on days 17–19 than on the remaining examined days, whereas NUCB2 protein abundance was highest on days 2–3. In the POA, NUCB2 mRNA expression peaked on days 14–16, while the protein abundance was higher on days 10–12 than on days 14–16. In both hypothalamic regions, NUCB2/nesfatin-1 immunoreactivity overlapped with GnRH and KISS1 immunosignals. In addition, plasma nesfatin-1 concentrations were lower on days 17–19 than during the other examined stages of the cycle. Overall, these findings demonstrate cycle-dependent, region-specific expression of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in the porcine hypothalamus and support a potential association of nesfatin-1 with hypothalamic pathways involved in reproductive regulation.
SN - 2073-4409
ER -