Kisspeptin: a novel regulator of reproductive function

The UK and international neuroendocrine community was deeply shocked and saddened the unbelievably premature death of Michael Harbuz in Bristol in 2006. Mick was a superb friend and colleague, and played a huge part in the development and activities of the British Neuroendocrine Group/British Society for Neuroendocrinology (BSN), serving as both Membership Secretary and Treasurer between 1999 and 2004. Mick was a leader in the field of neuroendocrine-immune interactions, and brought a great deal of charisma, humour and ability to meetings and conferences. He was also a passionate and committed supporter of the progress of young researchers and of their participation in neuroendocrine events. He recognised that today's postgraduate students and postdoctoral research fellows are tomorrow's neuroendocrine researchers, be it in academia, the health services or industry. To recognise Mick's great commitment to and enthusiasm for postgraduate education both in the University of Bristol and in the BSN, we decided to honour and remember him by instituting the 'Michael Harbuz Young Investigator Prize Lecture' to be delivered annually. Dr Waljit Dhillo from Imperial College London was the inaugural recipient of this award, and presented his lecture at the Annual Meeting of the BSN in Nottingham in September 2007, upon which this review is based. Recent evidence demonstrates that the neuropeptide kisspeptin and its receptor, GPR54, have a fundamental role in initiating the onset of puberty and are important in regulating reproductive function. This review discusses the evidence available from animals and humans demonstrating that kisspeptin potently stimulates the release of gonadotrophins by stimulating the release of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and that a lack of kisspeptin or GPR54 results in reproductive failure.