THE EFFECT OF OVARIECTOMY ON THE ACTIVITY OF CERTAIN ENZYMES IN THE FEMALE RAT HYPOTHALAMUS

1972 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Griffiths ◽  
K. C. Hooper

ABSTRACT Previous work in the rabbit has shown that the activity of certain peptidases in the hypothalamus which inactivate oxytocin, changes with stimuli known to release gonadotrophins, and may be used as an index of gonadotrophin hormone release (Hooper 1966a,b, 1968; Frith & Hooper 1971a,b). Using this approach, a study was made of the activities of similar peptidases in the rat hypothalamus following ovariectomy, a condition known to cause gonadotrophin release. Enzyme activity in the supernatant fraction was found to decrease progressively with time after ovariectomy, until 42 days after operation, thereafter maintaining a level not significantly different from that at 42 days; there was no detectable difference in particulate enzyme activity after ovariectomy. An inverse relationship between supernatant enzyme activity and luteinizing hormone levels is suggested. It is concluded that a similar relationship to that in the rabbit exists between enzyme activity in the rat hypothalamus and the release of luteinizing hormone-releasing factor from the tissue.

1974 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Griffiths ◽  
K. C. Hooper ◽  
S. L. Jeffcoate ◽  
D. T. Holland

ABSTRACT The presence of peptidases in the rat hypothalamus inactivating luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) has previously been demonstrated using an indirect assay method. With the development of a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for the releasing hormone, this technique was employed in the study of the peptidases inactivating LH-RH. It was found that supernatant fractions from both male and female rat hypothalami rapidly inactivated LH-RH, and that the peptidase activity of the supernatant fraction was higher in male than in female animals though the particulate fraction's activity was about the same in both sexes. Peptidase activity was also considerably greater in the supernatant than in the particulate fraction. These results confirm that the hypothalamus contains peptidases capable of inactivating LH-RH and give a direct indication that the enzymes may be involved in the central nervous system's control of reproductive function.


1973 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Griffiths ◽  
K. C. Hooper

ABSTRACT It has previously been shown that the activity of certain peptidases in the female rat hypothalamus is related to the release of luteinizing hormone releasing factor from the tissue (Griffiths & Hooper 1972a). The activity of these enzymes was investigated after orchidectomy and testosterone propionate injection to determine if a similar relationship exists in male rats. The depression in supernatant activity following orchidectomy and the elevation after testosterone treatment are interpreted as confirming this, and it is proposed that alterations in peptidase activity may be used as an index of gonadotrophin release in male as well as in female rats.


1973 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Griffiths ◽  
K. C. Hooper

ABSTRACT The activity of peptidases in the rat hypothalamus which are capable of inactivating oxytocin has previously been found to vary with stimuli known to influence gonadotrophin release and may be related to both luteinizing hormone (LH) and luteinizing hormone releasing factor (LH-RF) release (Griffith & Hooper 1972a,b). In the present study, enzyme activity was determined in normal female rats during the morning and afternoon of each stage of the oestrous cycle, in normal rats, and in female rats injected neonatally with testosterone. The activity of the supernatant fraction was found to be not significantly different during the morning of each stage, but was greatly decreased on the afternoon of pro-oestrus; particulate activity did not vary during the oestrous cycle. Supernatant and particulate activities were found to be the same in normal male rats and testosterone-treated females, as previously shown. Both fractions' activities were significantly less than those found in the oestrous cycle, other than on the afternoon of pro-oestrus. These results indicate changes in hypothalamic peptidase activity during the oestrous cycle which may be inversely related to LH and LH-RF release; they also confirm the masculinizing effect of neonatal testosterone on the hypothalamus.


1975 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. C. Griffiths ◽  
K. C. Hooper ◽  
C. R. N. Hopkinson

ABSTRACT Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) is known to be inactivated by peptidases in the rat hypothalamus with consequent loss of LH-releasing ability. To make a further study of the peptidases' action on the decapeptide, synthetic LH-RH and its [1–9NH2] analogue were incubated with the supernatant hypothalamic fraction containing the enzyme activity. Using an assay system measuring gonadotrophin release in ovariectomized/steroid-primed rats, both LH-RH and the [1–9NH2] analogue were found to be inactivated to different extents after incubation with the fraction, the analogue completely losing both LH- and FSH-releasing activity, and the releasing hormone almost completely losing its LH- and totally losing its FSH-releasing activity. The findings extend the initial studies by showing that the peptidases can remove both the decapeptide's intrinsic LH- and FSH-releasing activity and that these enzymes act on LH-RH at a site other than the C-terminal glycinamide, since they are able to inactivate the [1–9NH2] analogue lacking this residue.


1973 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athanasius Souvatzoglou ◽  
Klaus von Werder ◽  
Peter Bottermann

ABSTRACT The effect of various intravenous doses of L-dopa on growth hormone and LH-serum levels in 25 normal subjects was investigated. Growth hormone increased 30–40 minutes following the injection of 25 mg and 100 mg L-dopa whereas doses of less than 25 mg had no significant effect on the serum growth hormone levels. The serum LH-level was not significantly altered by the intravenous administration of various doses (1 to 100 mg) of L-dopa. These findings, which are in agreement with the results obtained with L-dopa given orally, suggest that the intravenous injection of 25 mg L-dopa may be useful as a short provocative test for growth hormone release in man.


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