Suppression of pulsatile LH secretion, pituitary GnRH receptor content and pituitary responsiveness to GnRH by hyperprolactinemia in the male rat
Abstract
To assess whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release from the hypothalamus might be altered by hyperprolactinemia in the male rat, we measured in chronically hyperprolactinemic rats the pituitary GnRH receptor content and described the pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) release during the postcastration rise in gonadotropin secretion 24 and 72 h after gonadectomy. In intact rats, the effect of hyperprolactinemia was determined by describing the pattern of LH secretion, pituitary GnRH receptor content and assessment of pituitary responsiveness to small doses of GnRH (1.0 ng). In addition, to determine the role endogenous opioids might play in inhibiting GnRH release in hyperprolactinemic rats, we examined the effect of both a continuous infusion and a bolus injection of the opioid antagonist naloxone on the pattern of LH release. Chronic hyperprolactinemia was achieved by implanting 4 pituitaries under the kidney capsules 3-4 weeks before study. Acute hyperprolactinemia was achieved by injecting rats with 1 mg ovine prolactin every 12 h for 3 days. Control animals were untreated or were chronically hyperprolactinemic rats in which the hyperprolactinemia was transiently reversed by treatment for 3 days with the dopamine agonist 2-alpha-bromoergocryptine. The mean LH concentration was greatly decreased at 24 postcastration in chronically hyperprolactinemic rats relative to controls. This decrease was associated with a decrease in LH pulse height and pulse amplitude and pituitary GnRH receptor content, but not with an increase in the LH interpulse interval. In contrast, the decrease in mean LH concentrations in hyperprolactinemic animals at 72 h postcastration was primarily associated with a significantly longer LH interpulse interval than that observed in control animals. Chronic hyperprolactinemia in intact rats decreased the pituitary GnRH receptor content, in addition to decreasing the mean LH concentrations during pulsatile GnRH administration. Chronic hyperprolactinemia also inhibited LH release relative to controls during the continuous 4-hour infusion of naloxone and in response to a bolus injection of naloxone. However, in acutely hyperprolactinemic intact male rats a bolus injection of naloxone increase LH secretion 20 min later to levels similar to those obtained in control rats. In summary, these results indicate that chronic hyperprolactinemia decreased LH secretion by primarily decreasing GnRH secretion as suggested by a decrease in pituitary GnRH receptor content and a decrease in LH pulse frequency and pulse amplitude.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Hyperprolactinemia inhibits the pulsatile release of GnRH, which in turn inhibits the release of both LH and FSH from the pituitary.
“Hyperprolactinemia inhibits the pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn inhibits the release of both luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary (5-10).”
From Kisspeptin Overcomes GnRH Neuronal Suppression Secondary to Hyperprolactinemia in Humans (2022) · cites this paper as [7]
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- Authors
- Fox, S. R., Hoefer, M. T., Bartke, A., & Smith, M. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale (US)
- Venue
- Neuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Published
- 2008-04-02
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 350-359
- ISSN
- 0028-3835 (ISSN-L)
- 1423-0194
- OpenAlex
- W2091455603
- Cited by
- 54
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 2.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1z01hd000362-04)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD-00362, HD 12671)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Keywords
- hyperprolactinemia, luteinizing hormone secretion, pulsatile LH secretion, naloxone, castration, male rats, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, prolactin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone
- MeSH terms
- Acute Disease, Animals, Chronic Disease, Hyperprolactinemia, Kinetics, Luteinizing Hormone, Male, Naloxone, Orchiectomy, Pituitary Gland, Rats, Inbred Strains, Receptors, LHRH, Rats
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