Kisspeptin-10 is a potent stimulator of LH and increases pulse frequency in men

This clinical study in healthy men characterized for the first time in detail the luteinizing hormone (LH) response to intravenous kisspeptin-10 administration. The researchers used a dose-response protocol with escalating doses from 0.01 to 3 mcg/kg and deconvolutional analysis of LH pulsatility.

The results were impressive: kisspeptin-10 provoked a rapid, dose-dependent increase in serum LH levels, with peak response observed at a dose of 1 mcg/kg. Higher doses did not produce additional response, suggesting saturation of hypothalamic Kiss1R receptors. The effect on LH was accompanied by significant elevation of serum testosterone.

Pulsatility analysis revealed that kisspeptin-10 not only elevated basal LH levels but also increased LH pulse frequency, indicating direct activation of hypothalamic GnRH neurons. This mechanism is distinct from direct GnRH administration and may offer a more physiological way to stimulate the reproductive axis.

The study established kisspeptin-10 as a potential therapeutic tool for conditions such as functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, infertility, and recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The kisspeptin-GnRH pathway represents a promising new pharmacological target for the regulation of male reproductive function.