Expression of RFamide-Related Peptide-3 (RFRP-3) mRNA in Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus and KiSS-1 mRNA in Arcuate Nucleus of Rat during Pregnancy.

Background: RFamide-related peptide-3 (RFRP-3) and kisspeptin (KiSS-1) are known to respectively inhibit and stimulate gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and lute- inizing hormone (LH) secretion in rat. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative mRNA expression of RFRP-3 and KiSS-1 in the hypothalamus of pregnant rats.

Materials And Methods: In a randomized controlled experimental study, the exact preg- nancy day of 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were confirmed using the vaginal smear method and were equally assigned to three groups of days 7, 14 and 21 of pregnancy.