title: Adrenocorticotropin-induced changes in ovine pituitary gonadotropin secretion in vitro.
abstract: In vitro pituitary perifusion experiments were conducted to examine the effect of ACTH and related peptides on basal and GnRH-stimulated gonadotropin release. Treatments of 5 X 10(-7) M ACTH-(1-39), ACTH-(1-24), or ACTH-(18-39) were examined for their ability to influence basal gonadotropin secretion and the subsequent response to a 10(-9)- or 10(-8) M GnRH challenge. Administration of the 1-39 or 18-39 peptide sequences of ACTH similarly stimulated the release of LH and FSH (P less than 0.01). ACTH-(1-24) had no effect on basal gonadotropin secretion. Pretreatment with ACTH-(1-39) inhibited the LH and FSH responses to 10(-9) and 10(-8) M GnRH (P less than 0.05). Suppression of the LH response to 10(-8) M GnRH (P less than 0.05) and the FSH response to 10(-9) M GnRH (P less than 0.05) was observed after ACTH-(1-24) treatment. The administration of ACTH-(18-39) had no significant effect on GnRH-induced gonadotropin release. PRL concentrations were not affected by any of the ACTH peptides. Exposure to 10(-10) M GnRH or 5 X 10(-7) M synthetic ACTH-(1-39) produced an equivalent stimulation of LH secretion. GnRH pretreatment enhanced (P less than 0.05), while ACTH-(1-39) diminished (P less than 0.05), the subsequent response to GnRH. The GnRH receptor antagonist [D-pGlu1, D-Phe2, D-Trp3,6]GnRH attenuated the LH and FSH responses to GnRH and ACTH-(1-39) (P less than 0.05). The results obtained in this study indicate that certain portions of the ACTH molecule may affect gonadotropin secretion, perhaps by interacting with the GnRH receptor.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003366:Cosyntropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D003366:Cosyntropin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; C034511:LHRH, pGlu(1)-Phe(2)-Trp(3,6)-; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011761:Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid