Interdependence of oestradiol and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in modulating LH and FSH secretion in rats.

The effects of oestradiol, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and oestradiol plus DHT on pituitary responsiveness to LHRH were studied. Rats ovariectomized for 2 weeks were infused s.c. (by osmotic minipump) with LHRH at 250 ng/h for 6 days. Control rats received a sham s.c. pump. On day 3, silicone elastomer implants containing oestradiol or DHT were implanted s.c. and on day 6 the effects of these in-vivo treatments on pituitary LH and FSH content and on in-vitro (perifusion) LH and FSH secretion following maximal LHRH stimulation (1 microgram/ml perifusion medium) were assessed. Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone alone decreased pituitary LH/FSH content and, in response to acute LHRH challenge in vitro, the absolute rate of LH/FSH release, but not LH/FSH release expressed as a fraction of pituitary content. Oestradiol alone increased pituitary LH/FSH content and LHRH-induced LH/FSH release in vitro, both absolutely and as a fraction of pituitary LH/FSH. Oestradiol exacerbated the decrease in pituitary LH/FSH caused by LHRH pretreatment in vivo, and decreased the absolute rate of LHRH-stimulated LH/FSH release in vitro, but increased this rate when it was expressed as a fraction of pituitary LH/FSH. In both LHRH-treated and control rats, DHT increased pituitary LH/FSH content, did not change the absolute rate of LH/FSH release in response to acute LHRH challenge in vitro, but decreased the rate of LH/FSH release expressed as a fraction of pituitary LH/FSH content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)