Desensitization of testicular ornithine decarboxylase to gonadotropin releasing hormone and gonadotropic hormones.

Prior exposure of the testis to gonadotropin releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone or follicle stimulating hormone caused the testis refractory to these hormones in terms of ornithine decarboxylase activity at 24 h. Luteinizing hormone caused desensitization in the Leydig cells while the levels of ornithine decarboxylase in the seminiferous tubules were unaltered. In gonadotropin releasing hormone desensitized testis all the other treated compounds namely, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, prostaglandin F2 alpha, norepinephrine and cyclic AMP caused stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity. The testis desensitized with LH responded to cyclic AMP and norepinephrine whereas prostaglandin E2 or gonadotropin releasing hormone caused less stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity. These results indicate that testicular desensitization to gonadotropin releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone is not due to a post cyclic AMP block.