title: Mechanism of action of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in rat ovarian cells.
abstract: The initial step in the signal transduction of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) in rat ovarian cells is the hydrolysis of membrane polyphosphoinositides into inositol phosphates and 1,2-diacylglycerol. The former compounds, especially inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate, are known to cause the release of calcium from intracellular stores, while diacylglycerol is a potent activator of protein kinase C. LHRH causes a rapid and transient increase in intracellular concentrations of free calcium ions, by approximately 4.5-fold, in the majority of granulosa cells as assessed by fura-2 microspectrofluorimetry. Like LHRH, a calcium ionophore (A23187) and activators of protein kinase C attenuate the steroidogenic response of the cells to follicle-stimulating hormone, but enhance the formation of gonadotropin-induced prostaglandin formation. These results support the concept that stimulation of polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis is intimately involved in the direct action of LHRH at the level of the ovary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Grace Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Baimbridge
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone