title: Beta-adrenergic agonists increase amplitude of LH release in orchidectomized rats.
abstract: The role of intravenously (iv) injected adrenergic agonists in the pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) was examined in unanesthesized, freely behaving, castrated male rats. The alpha 2-adrenergic receptor agonist, clonidine (25 micrograms/kg), and the alpha 1-adrenergic agonist, (-)-phenylephrine (12.5 micrograms/kg), did not significantly alter pulsatile release of LH. The physiological beta 2-adrenergic receptor agonist, (-)-epinephrine (2.5 micrograms/kg), significantly increased the mean plasma concentrations of plasma LH and the amplitude of the LH pulses over a period of 70 min. The specific beta 2-receptor agonist, salmefamol, significantly increased the mean plasma concentrations of LH and especially the average amplitude of LH pulses over 70-80 min in a dose-related fashion following the injection of doses from 25 to 125 micrograms/kg. The frequency of LH pulses was not significantly increased by either agonist at any of the doses employed. Salmefamol-induced increases in plasma LH could be prevented by the beta-adrenergic blocker, bornaprolol (FM-24), in a dose-related manner. When injected together with synthetic LH-releasing hormone (400 ng/kg), salmefamol (125 micrograms/kg) significantly increased the mean plasma concentrations of LH over 70 min compared with values in controls receiving LH-releasing hormone only. The data support the concept that beta-agonists act on their receptors in the pituitary to facilitate LH-releasing hormone-induced discharge of LH.
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010507:Periodicity; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D011412:Propanolamines; D010656:Phenylephrine; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; C018417:bornaprolol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D003000:Clonidine; C100251:salmefamol; D004837:Epinephrine