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Throughout evolution, organisms have devised strategies to limit fertility in case of prolonged starvation. In mammals, the liver plays a central role in the orchestration of mechanisms allowing for the maintenance of energy
homeostasis.
The
authors here demonstrate that dietary amino acids regulate the transcriptional activity of hepatic estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) through an mTOR-dependent mechanism. As a result of ERa activation, hepatic IGF-1 mRNA and blood IGF-1 are increased.
Conversely, calorie restriction or selective ablation of ERa in the liver decrease blood IGF-1 to levels inadequate for the correct proliferation of the lumen epithelium in the uterus and the progression of the estrous
cycle.
The
authors propose that the liver acts as critical mediator of energetic and reproductive functions responsible for the blockade of the estrous cycle in case of protein scarcity.
Our findings may provide novel insights to understand the cause of selected forms of infertility and metabolic alterations in women after menopause.
Authors and Affiliations
Sara Della Torre, Gianpaolo Rando, Clara Meda, Alessia Stell, Pierre Chambon, Andrée Krust, Cristian Ibarra, Paolo Magni, Paolo Ciana, Adriana Maggi
Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy Department of Endocrinology, Pathophysiology and Applied Biology, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, College de France, 67404 Illkirch-Strasbourg, France
Source
Cell metabolism
(MDN)
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