Establishment of immortalised cell lines derived from female Shiba goat KNDy and GnRH neurones

Kisspeptin plays a critical role in governing gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH)/gonadotrophin secretion and subsequent reproductive function in mammals. The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) kisspeptin neurones, which co‐express neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin A (Dyn) and are referred to as KNDy neurones, are considered to be involved in GnRH generation. The present study aimed to establish cell lines derived from goat KNDy and GnRH neurones. Primary‐cultured cells of female Shiba goat foetal hypothalamic ARC and preoptic area (POA) tissues were immortalised with the infection of lentivirus containing the simian virus 40 large T‐antigen gene. Clones of the immortalised cells were selected by the gene expression of a neuronal marker, and then the neurone‐derived cell clones were further selected by the gene expression of KNDy or GnRH neurone markers. As a result, we obtained a KNDy neurone cell line (GA28) from the ARC, as well as two GnRH neurone cell lines (GP11 and GP31) from the POA. Immunocytochemistry revealed the expression of kisspeptin, NKB and Dyn in GA28 cells, as well as GnRH in GP11 and GP31 cells. GnRH secretion from GP11 and GP31 cells into the media was confirmed by an enzyme immunoassay. Moreover, kisspeptin challenge increased intracellular Ca2+ levels in subsets of both GP11 and GP31 cells. Kisspeptin mRNA expression in GA28 cells, which expressed the oestrogen receptor alpha gene, was significantly reduced by 17β‐oestradiol treatment. Furthermore, the transcriptional core promoter and repressive regions of the goat NKB gene were detected using GA28 cells. In conclusion, we have established goat KNDy and GnRH neurone cell lines that could be used to analyse molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating KNDy and GnRH neurones in vitro, facilitating the clarification of reproductive neuroendocrine mechanisms in ruminants. The present study established immortalised cell lines derived from female Shiba goat KNDy neurones and gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) neurones that preserve the characteristics of those neurones in vivo, such as gene and peptide expression, as well as the response to oestrogen and kisspeptin. These cell lines could be used to analyse molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating KNDy and GnRH neurones in vitro, which facilitate clarification of the reproductive neuroendocrine mechanisms in ruminants.