Ontogeny of serum and pituitary gonadotrophins in male rats treated with low doses of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.

The effect of s.c. daily injections of 10 or 1000 ng 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)100 g body weight from birth to day 21, or from days 26 to 117 of age, on the changes in concentration of serum and pituitary gonadotrophins was investigated in male rats. Treatment with 10 ng DHT from days 1 to 21 depressed serum FSH, but not LH, at day 7, while 1000 ng DHT depressed both serum LH and FSH. Treatment with both doses of DHT reduced pituitary levels of LH and FSH at day 7, with FSH being more depressed than LH. Treatment with 10 ng DHT from days 26 to 117 increased serum FSH from days 82 to 117, while 1000 ng DHT did not have this effect. Treatment with 1000 ng, but not 10 ng, DHT between days 26 and 117 reduced pituitary levels of LH and FSH at day 40. Rats treated with the two doses of DHT from days 26 to 117 showed a difference in the responsiveness of the pituitary to LH-releasing hormone (LHRH). Treatment with 10 ng DHT enhanced LHRH-induced release of LH without affecting FSH release, while 1000 ng DHT depressed LHRH-induced release of FSH but not of LH. These findings support the view that DHT may play a modulatory role in the ontogeny of serum gonadotrophins and the responsiveness of the pituitary to LHRH during the onset of puberty in the male rat.