title: Differential regulation of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and free alpha-subunit secretion from the gonadotrope by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH): evidence from the use of two GnRH antagonists.
abstract: To examine the differential regulation of glycoprotein hormone secretion from the gonadotrope by GnRH, the Nal-Glu GnRH antagonist was administered to euthyroid women in the early follicular phase (days 1-5) of the menstrual cycle, and the results compared to previous studies with the Nal-Arg GnRH antagonist. After a 4-h period of baseline sampling at a frequency of every 10 min, a single sc dose of the GnRH antagonist was administered to each subject. Frequent sampling continued for 8 h, followed by hourly sampling for a further 16 h. LH, FSH, and free alpha-subunit were measured serially in assays with high specificity. There was a 90% concordance of LH and free alpha-subunit pulses during the baseline sampling period. Pulsatile secretion of LH and free alpha-subunit was immediately abolished at the highest dose of the Nal-Glu antagonist for at least 8 h. The maximum percent suppression of LH after administration of the Nal-Glu GnRH antagonist was 70 +/- 4%, 80 +/- 4%, and 83 +/- 1% at doses of 15, 50, and 150 micrograms/kg, respectively, compared to 51 +/- 10%, 70 +/- 5%, and 69 +/- 5% at doses of 50, 150, and 500 micrograms/kg Nal-Arg antagonist. Decreases in FSH were 28 +/- 2%, 32 +/- 7%, and 39 +/- 2%, with increasing doses of the Nal-Glu antagonist compared with 25 +/- 6%, 17 +/- 6%, and 28 +/- 4% reductions at increasing doses of the Nal-Arg antagonist. Free alpha-subunit decreased 22 +/- 4%, 23 +/- 4%, and 28 +/- 3% at increasing doses of the Nal-Glu antagonist and 12 +/- 4%, 27 +/- 4%, and 30 +/- 7% with increasing doses of the Nal-Arg antagonist. For the Nal-Glu antagonist, suppression of LH was greater than that of FSH and free alpha-subunit at all doses (P less than 0.001), while FSH suppression was greater than that of free alpha-subunit at the highest dose only (P less than 0.05). For the Nal-Arg antagonist, LH suppression was greater than that of FSH or free alpha-subunit at all doses (P greater than 0.01), and FSH suppression exceeded that of free alpha-subunit at the 50 micrograms/kg dose. Suppression of LH was greater with the Nal-Glu antagonist than with the Nal-Arg antagonist at doses of 50 and 150 micrograms/kg (P less than 0.05), and FSH suppression was greater with the Nal-Glu antagonist at 150 micrograms/kg (P less than 0.01), while the degrees of maximum suppression were similar for the two different GnRH antagonists for free alpha-subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Whitcomb
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rivier
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Crowley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C057805:LHRH, N-Ac-2-Nal(1)-4-Cl-Phe(2)-3-Pal(3)-Arg(5)-Glu(6)-AlaNH2(10)-; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone