Gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurosecretion in the human hypothalamus: in vitro regulation by dopamine.
An in vitro perifusion system was used to investigate GnRH release from adult human hypothalami in response to dopamine (DA) and the DA receptor antagonist haloperidol (HAL). Administration of a 1-microM pulse of DA consistently elicited a mean +/- SE 218 +/- 59% increase (P less than 0.05; n = 5) in GnRH release, whereas 1 microM HAL had no effect. Administration of 1 microM DA during three perifusions in which 1 microM HAL was added to the medium failed to alter basal GnRH release. In contrast, DA did evoke an acute 98 +/- 39% increase (P less than 0.06) in GnRH release during three matching perifusions with medium containing the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine. These studies demonstrate that DA can stimulate in vitro release of GnRH from the adult human hypothalamus by a DA receptor-mediated mechanism.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010477:Perfusion
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006220:Haloperidol; D004298:Dopamine