[Mechanism of the suppressive effect of catechol estrogen on the preovulatory LH surge].

The administration of 100 micrograms 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1) or 2-hydroxyestradiol-17 beta (2-OHE2) at 0900h or 1000h in the morning of proestrus into normal 4-day cycling rats results in suppression of the preovulatory LH surge in the afternoon of that day. The LH-RH content of the median eminence in control rats decreases sharply in the afternoon from elevated noon levels. However, the catechol estrogen-treated rats do not show this decrease. These results indicate that the catecholestrogens block the preovulatory LH surge by preventing the release of LH-RH from the median eminence, but do not interfere with the synthesis and accumulation of LH-RH. Furthermore, injections of non-uterotropic 2-OHE1 twice at 30 minutes intervals into ovariectomized rats fail to affect the LH tonic secretion by 180 minutes after the initial injection. These data indicate that catechol estrogen interferes with the brief neuronal triggering phase necessary for LH-RH release, but does not affect the LH tonic secretion which is an estrogen-independent process.