title: Effects of progesterone on gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor concentration in cultured estrogen-primed female rat pituitary cells.
abstract: Acute (0.5-4 h) treatment of estradiol (E)-primed female rat pituitary cells with progesterone (P) augments gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-induced LH release, whereas chronic (48 h) P-treatment reduces pituitary responsiveness to the hypothalamic decapeptide. Dispersed E-primed (48 h, 1 nM) rat pituitary cells were cultured for 4 or 48 h in the presence of 100 nM P to assess the effects of the progestagen on GnRH receptors and on gonadotrope responsiveness to the decapeptide. P-treatment (4 h) significantly augmented GnRH-receptor concentrations (4.44 +/- 0.6 fmol/10(6) cells) as compared to cells treated only with E (2.6 +/- 0.5 fmol/10(6) cells). Parallel significant changes in GnRH-induced LH secretion were observed. The acute increase in GnRH-receptor number was nearly maximal (180% of receptor number in cells treated with E alone) within 30 min of P addition. Chronic P-treatment (48 h) significantly reduced pituitary responsiveness to GnRH as compared to E-treatment. The GnRH-receptor concentrations (3.9 +/- 0.6 fmol/10(6) cells), however, remained elevated above those in E-primed cells. GnRH-receptor affinity was not influenced by any of the different treatments. These results indicate that the acute facilitatory P-effect on GnRH-induced LH release is at least chronologically closely related to an increase in GnRH-receptor concentration. The chronic negative P-effect on pituitary responsiveness to GnRH, however, shows no relation to changes in available GnRH receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philipps-Universität, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Emons
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nill
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ortmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone