The Role of Cytokines in the Development and Functioning of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Mammals in Normal and Pathological Conditions.

This review analyzes data on the effect of cytokines on the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis at all levels during pre- and postnatal ontogenesis under physiological and pathological conditions in humans and other mammals. Changes in cytokine physiological balance, associated with stress, inflammation, aging, and metabolic syndromes, affect the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, a key regulator of the HPG axis, as well as the secretion of pituitary gonadotropins, gonadal steroidogenesis, and gametogenesis in both males and females. Special attention is given to proinflammatory cytokines, the levels of which increase under the influence of infectious agents. Their impact on the development of the fetal brain and HPG axis is examined, as are the ensuing long-term consequences for HPG axis function. The study of cytokine contribution to the development and function of the HPG axis opens up broad prospects for reproductive disorder prevention during early ontogenesis.