Luteinizing hormone receptor number and affinity in corpora lutea from prepuberal gilts induced to ovulate and spontaneous corpora lutea of mature gilts.

This study was designed to determine if luteal cell receptors for luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin (LH/hCG) contribute to the previously demonstrated abnormal function of induced corpora lutea (CL) in gilts. Twenty-five prepuberal (P) gilts, induced to ovulate with 1,500 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin followed 72 h later with 500 IU hCG (d 0 = day of hCG), and 22 mature (M) gilts that had displayed two or more estrous cycles were ovariectomized (OVX) on d 10, 14, 18, 22 or 26 after the onset of estrus. All gilts except those OVX on d 10 were hysterectomized between d 6 and 9 to ensure luteal maintenance. The CL were stored at -196 degrees C until determination of LH/hCG receptor number and dissociation constant (KD) by saturation analysis. Receptor number was greater for M than for P gilts on d 14 (P less than .07) and d 18 (P less than .01). The KD was greater in M than in P gilts on d 14 (P less than .01) and d 18 (P less than .0001). The LH/hCG receptor number and KD of P gilts remained the same throughout the days studied. The LH/hCG receptor number (fmol/mg protein) of M gilts was elevated on d 10, 14, and 18 (50.8, 50.4 and 51.4, respectively) and decreased on d 22 (26.5) and d 26 (25.4) to values similar to those of P gilts. In M gilts, KD increased on d 14, remained high on d 18 and decreased on d 22. We suggest that abnormal function of induced CL in P gilts may be due to an elevated LH receptor number.