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Microglia Rank signaling regulates GnRH function and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal axis

Collado-Sole, A.; Borjini, N.; Zhai, J.; Soria-Alcaide, G.; Folgueira, C.; Ruiz-Pino, F.; Garcia Vilela, C.; Lopez, V.; Zouaghi, Y.; Jacobs, A.; Mora-Romero, B.; Barranco, A.; Yoldi, G.; Rizzoti, K.; Sabio, G.; Perez-Chacon, G.; G. Santamaria, P.; Antonio Esteban, J.; Pascual, A.; Fernandez-Chacon, R.; Tena-Sempere, M.; Pitteloud, N.; Gonzalez-Suarez, E.

2026-02-18 cell biology
10.64898/2026.02.18.706528 bioRxiv
Show abstract

The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) controls pubertal development, sexual maturation, and fertility. We hereby demonstrate a new role of hypothalamic microglia in controlling the HPG axis through Rank signaling, a pathway known for its role in bone and mammary gland biology. Whole-body and microglia Rank depletion leads to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) resulting from an alteration in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) function. In addition, we identify rare gene variants of RANK in patients with HH. Transcriptional profiling upon pubertal Rank loss reveals defective microglia activation and morphological alterations in the median eminence (ME), decreasing the contacts and engulfment of GnRH terminal projections and impairing GnRH responses to kisspeptin. Overall, our data uncovers the crucial role of microglia in regulating GnRH function through Rank signaling, with implications for reproductive maturation and fertility. One-Sentence SummaryMicroglia regulates GnRH function through RANK signaling

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