Roa, JuanRuiz-Cruz, MiguelRuiz-Pino, FranciscoOnieva, RocioVazquez, Maria JSanchez-Tapia, Maria JRuiz-Rodriguez, Jose MSobrino, VeronicaBarroso, AlexiaHeras, VioletaVelasco, InmaculadaPerdices-Lopez, CeciliaOhlsson, ClaesAvendaño, Maria SoledadPrevot, VincentPoutanen, MattiPinilla, LeonorGaytan, FranciscoTena-Sempere, Manuel2023-05-032023-05-032022-07-26Roa J, Ruiz-Cruz M, Ruiz-Pino F, Onieva R, Vazquez MJ, Sanchez-Tapia MJ, et al. Dicer ablation in Kiss1 neurons impairs puberty and fertility preferentially in female mice. Nat Commun. 2022 Aug 9;13(1):4663http://hdl.handle.net/10668/19541Kiss1 neurons, producing kisspeptins, are essential for puberty and fertility, but their molecular regulatory mechanisms remain unfolded. Here, we report that congenital ablation of the microRNA-synthesizing enzyme, Dicer, in Kiss1 cells, causes late-onset hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in both sexes, but is compatible with pubertal initiation and preserved Kiss1 neuronal populations at the infantile/juvenile period. Yet, failure to complete puberty and attain fertility is observed only in females. Kiss1-specific ablation of Dicer evokes disparate changes of Kiss1-cell numbers and Kiss1/kisspeptin expression between hypothalamic subpopulations during the pubertal-transition, with a predominant decline in arcuate-nucleus Kiss1 levels, linked to enhanced expression of its repressors, Mkrn3, Cbx7 and Eap1. Our data unveil that miRNA-biosynthesis in Kiss1 neurons is essential for pubertal completion and fertility, especially in females, but dispensable for initial reproductive maturation and neuronal survival in both sexes. Our results disclose a predominant miRNA-mediated inhibitory program of repressive signals that is key for precise regulation of Kiss1 expression and, thereby, reproductive function.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/DEAD-box RNA helicasesFertilityKisspeptinsMicroRNAsAnimalsFemaleMaleMiceNeuronsRibonuclease IIISexual maturationDicer ablation in Kiss1 neurons impairs puberty and fertility preferentially in female mice.research article35945211open accessMaduración sexualMasculinoNeuronasRatonesRibonucleasa III10.1038/s41467-022-32347-42041-1723PMC9363423https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32347-4.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9363423/pdf