scholarly journals Differential Regulation of Gonadotropin Secretion by Testosterone in the Human Male: Absence of a Negative Feedback Effect of Testosterone on Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Secretion1

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances J. Hayes ◽  
Suzzunne DeCruz ◽  
Stephanie B. Seminara ◽  
Paul A. Boepple ◽  
William F. Crowley
1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard F. Weick ◽  
Vaclav Pitelka ◽  
David L. Thompson

Experiments were performed to study the responsiveness of the pituitary to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) during the dynamic changes in gonadotropin secretion associated with the estrogen-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) surge in the ovariectomized (OVX) rhesus monkey. Silastic capsules filled with estradiol-17-β were implanted subcutaneously in ovariectomized rhesus monkeys, resulting in an initial lowering of circulating LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations followed by an LH–FSH surge. GnRH was injected intravenously just before estrogen implantation, during the negative feedback response and during the rising, the peak, and the declining phases of the LH surge. The LH and FSH responses during the negative feedback phase were as large as those before estrogen treatment (control responses). During the rising phase of the LH surge, the acute response to GnRH injection did not differ significantly from the control response, but the responses 60 and 120 min after injection were somewhat increased. During the declining phase of the LH surge, the pituitary was not responsive to exogenous GnRH, although LH probably continued to be secreted at this time since the LH surge decreased more slowly than predicted by the normal rate of disappearance of LH in the monkey. We conclude that an increased duration of response to GnRH may be an important part of the mechanism by which estrogen induces the LH surge, but we do not see evidence of increased sensitivity of the pituitary to GnRH as an acute releasing factor at that time.Key words: LH surge, GnRH, FSH, ovariectomized monkey.


1995 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tena-Sempere ◽  
L Pinilla ◽  
E Aguilar

Tena-Sempere M, Pinilla L, Aguilar E. Orchidectomy selectively increases follicle-stimulating hormone secretion in gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist-treated male rats. Eur J Endocrinol 1995;132: 357–62. ISSN 0804–4643 The pituitary component of the feedback mechanisms exerted by testicular factors on gonadotropin secretion was analyzed in adult male rats treated with a potent gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. In order to discriminate between androgens and testicular peptides, groups of males were orchidectomized (to eliminate androgens and non-androgenic testicular factors) or injected with ethylene dimethane sulfonate (EDS), a selective toxin for Leydig cells (to eliminate selectively androgens) and treated for 15 days with vehicle or the GnRH antagonist Ac-d-pClPhe-d-pClPhe-d-TrpSer-Tyr-d-Arg-Leu-Arg-Pro-d-Ala-NH2CH3COOH (Org.30276, 5 mg/kg/72 hours). Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured 7 and 14 days after the beginning of treatment. We found that: in males treated with GnRH antagonist, orchidectomy or EDS treatment did not induce any increase in LH secretion; and orchidectomy, but not EDS treatment, increased FSH secretion in GnRH-treated males. The present results show that negative feedback of testicular factors on LH secretion is mediated completely through changes in GnRH actions. In contrast, a part of the inhibitory action of the testis on FSH secretion is exerted directly at the pituitary level. It can be hypothesized that non-Leydig cell testicular factor(s) inputs at different levels of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis in controlling LH and FSH secretion. Manuel Tena-Sempere, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain


2002 ◽  
Vol 227 (9) ◽  
pp. 817-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria J. Barnes ◽  
Karen Lapanowski ◽  
Jose A. Rafols ◽  
David M. Lawson ◽  
Joseph C. Dunbar

Nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) has been found in the gonadotrophs and folliculo-stellate cells of the anterior pituitary. Previous observations from our laboratory suggest that NO may play a role in regulating gonadotropin secretion. Because estrogen secretion by the ovary can influence gonadotropin secretion, we investigated the hypothesis that chronic in vivo NO deficiency has a direct estrogen-independent effect on luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion. Chronic NO deficiency was induced by adding an NOS inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 0.6 g/l) to the drinking water of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The control OVX rats were untreated. After 6–8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, and the pituitaries were removed and perfused continuously for 4 hr in the presence of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, 500 ng/pulse) every 30 min. S-Nitroso-l-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP, an NO donor, 0.1 mM) or l-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, an NOS inhibitor, 0.1 mM) was added to the media and perfusate samples were collected at 10-min intervals. GnRH-stimulated LH and FSH levels were significantly lower in pituitaries from OVX/NO-deficient pituitaries compared with pituitaries from the OVX control group. The addition of SNAP significantly decreased LH and FSH secretion by pituitaries from OVX control animals, but significantly increased their secretion by pituitaries from the OVX/NO-deficient animals. L-NAME also suppressed LH and FSH secretion by pituitaries from the OVX control animals and stimulated their release by pituitaries from the NO-deficient/OVX animals. Immunohisto-chemistry of frontal sections through the hypothalamus demonstrated that OVX/NO deficiency is associated with increased GnRH in the median eminence. We conclude that NO has a chronic stimulatory effect on LH and FSH release and the subsequent altered secretory responsiveness to NO agonist or antagonist is the result of chronic NO suppression.


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