Seasonal changes in the in-vivo activity of the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) neural apparatus of male rabbits monitored with push-pull cannulae.

Intact sexually mature New Zealand White male rabbits, raised under natural lighting and temperature conditions, were isolated and housed in air-conditioned quarters, in a 12-h light:12-h dark cycle. Push-pull cannulae were implanted towards the tuberal region of the hypothalamus, and animals were perfused with modified Krebs'-Ringer phosphate medium for an average period of 4 h. Most rabbits were repetitively perfused over an average period of 3.7 months. Perfusions were grouped into seasonal periods of about 40 or 80 days through the entire 1-year cycle: (A) 23 November to 31 December (winter solstice period: N = 6), (B) 1 January to 23 March (winter: N = 10), (C) 24 March to 13 June (spring: N = 9), (D) 14 June to 23 July (summer solstice period: N = 23), (E) 24 July to 13 October (late summer-early fall: N = 7) and (F) 14 October to 22 November (fall: N = 4). Maximal and minimal values of mean release, mean amplitude and mean frequency from every animal in each block were obtained. In the summer solstice group (D), maximal mean (+/- s.e.) LHRH release levels were significantly greater (14.42 +/- 6.62 pg/10 min) than for all groups (A, 0.76 +/- 0.27; B, 1.59 +/- 0.39; C, 1.34 +/- 0.22; E, 1.33 +/- 0.33; and F, 1.18 +/- 0.11) while during the winter solstice period (A), minimal mean LHRH release levels (0.48 +/- 0.04 pg/10 min) were significantly lower than in all other groups (B, 1.43 +/- 0.41; C, 0.96 +/- 0.11; D, 7.25 +/- 4.12; E, 1.18 +/- 0.37; and F, 1.18 +/- 0.11). Maximal values were highest during the summer solstice period while the minimal values were lowest during the winter solstice period. The amplitude and frequency of the LHRH pulses showed changes similar to those observed with the mean LHRH release. For 1 year, an estimated left testis weight was measured in 4-7 rabbits every 2-5 weeks. The percentage estimated testis weight peaked in early August and reached minimal levels during the winter months. These data demonstrate that the rabbit LHRH neural apparatus is very sensitive to seasonal influences although animals remained in a fixed photoperiod during the entire duration of the experiment.