title: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists.
abstract: Hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a decapeptide that stimulates pituitary synthesis and secretion of gonadotropins and, therefore, gonadal hormones. GnRH antagonists, of which thousands have been formulated, inhibit the hormone from binding to its receptor, inducing a pharmacological hypophysectomy. Peptide derivations of GnRH and non-peptide compounds are both in clinical trials or approved for assisted reproduction. As these compounds reach the market, the use of antagonists might expand to treatment of other hormonally dependent diseases, hormonal male contraception and growth inhibition of extra-pituitary cancer cells expressing GnRH receptors.
authors.affiliation: UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Augustus F Hawkins Building, Room 3069, 1731 East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA. kaherbst@cdrewu.edu
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Herbst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone