29 Recently, a new family of molecules, implicated in the control of the reproductive axis, has been discovered: kisspeptins (Kp). These hypothalamic peptides derive from the cleavage of their common 145 aminoacid precursor encoded by Kiss 1 gene. Among these products, kisspeptin 10 (Kp‑10) plays a pivotal role in the control of gonadotropin secretion and ovulation (Tena‑Sempere 2006). Kp‑10 directly stimulates GnRH neurons to secrete GnRH both at the onset of puberty (Pineda et al. 2010) and before the preovulatory surge of LH, during reproductive cycles (Clarkson et al. 2010). Brown and colleagues (Brown et al. 2012) demonstrated that an atypical kiss1 expression in the brain may contribute to the multiple ovarian abnormalities observed in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Based on these data, the aim of this study was to investigate Kp and sexual hormone blood concentrations in healthy dairy cows and in cows diagnosed with ovarian follicular cysts. The study was performed on a commercial dairy farm, consisting of 180 Holstein Friesian cows kept in a semi‑intensive regimen, 80 ± 15 days post partum Parole chiave Bovina da latte, Cisti follicolari, Kisspeptina. Riassunto Lo scopo di questo studio è stato quello di valutare le concentrazioni di kisspeptina (Kp) e degli ormoni sessuali (Estrogeni e Progesterone) in bovine clinicamente sane, al momento del calore (H), ed in bovine con diagnosi di cisti follicolari (FC). Quaranta bovine da latte sono state divise in due gruppi di 20 soggetti ciascuno. Su tutte le bovine sono stati eseguiti dei prelievi di sangue il giorno della conferma di diagnosi di cisti follicolari, nel gruppo FC e al momento del calore, nel gruppo H. Su tali campioni sono state dosate le concentrazioni di Kisspeptina 10, β‑estradiolo e progesterone. Tutti i parametri sono risultati superiori nel gruppo FC rispetto al gruppo H. Tali risultati suggeriscono che i più alti livelli di ormoni steroidei potrebbero aver determinato un incremento della secrezione di Kp‑10, nelle bovine con cisti follicolari. A sua volta, essa potrebbe aver stimolato, direttamente o indirettamente, il rilascio sostenuto di LH, evento presente nella patologia delle cisti follicolari della bovina. Kisspeptina e cisti follicolari nella bovina Keywords Dairy cows, Follicular cyst, Kisspeptin. Summary The aim of this study was to investigate kisspeptin (Kp) and sexual hormone blood concentrations in healthy dairy cows (H) and in cows diagnosed with ovarian follicular cysts (FC). Forty dairy cows were enrolled in this study and divided in 2 groups of 20 subjects each. All cows underwent blood collection on the day of diagnosis and on that of heat detection, respectively. Kisspeptin 10, estradiol, and progesterone blood concentrations were assessed. All the parameters were higher in Group FC than in Group H. These results suggest that the higher steroid levels found may have determined the increase in Kp secretion in the cystic cows. This, in turn, may have directly or indirectly stimulated the sustained Luteinizing Hormone (LH) release, known to occur in dairy cystic disease. Veterinaria Italiana 2018, 54 (1), 29‑31. doi: 10.12834/VetIt.1014.5413.3 Accepted: 14.06.2017 | Available on line: 31.03.2018 1 Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.), University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, s.p. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy. 2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari ‘‘Aldo Moro’’, s.p. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy. * Corresponding author at: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (D.E.T.O.) University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, s.p. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy. Tel.: +39 080 5443881, Fax: +39 080 5443883, e‑mail: rafaeleluigi.sciorsci@uniba.it. Annalisa Rizzo 1 , Mariagrazia Piccinno 1 , Edmondo Ceci 2 , Marianna Pantaleo 1 , Maddalena Mutinati 1 , Maria Roncetti 1 , and Rafaele Luigi Sciorsci 1* Kisspeptin and bovine follicular cysts SHORT COMMUNICATION