Lam N Y, Ferin M
Endocrinology. 1987 May;120(5):2044-9. doi: 10.1210/endo-120-5-2044.
The two phases of the ovulatory menstrual cycle of the primate are characterized by divergent activities of the GnRH pulse generator. During the luteal phase, LH pulse frequency is significantly reduced below that observed during the follicular phase. In this report we investigate whether the decrease in pulse frequency during the luteal phase is of physiological relevance to normal menstrual cyclicity. We have tested the effect of a pulsatile GnRH infusion given iv at hourly intervals for a period of 8-10 days during the luteal phase on the subsequent three to five cycles in eight female rhesus monkeys. Three of the eight animals received two treatment courses. Amounts of GnRH infused were 1.5 micrograms/pulse (n = 2 trials); 3.0 micrograms/pulse (n = 7); and 4.0 micrograms/pulse (n = 2). LH response to GnRH pulses of 1.5 and 3.0 micrograms resembled spontaneous LH pulses observed during the luteal phase. During the GnRH infusion period, the monkeys were fitted with a primate vest and tethered. Eleven control experiments were performed in these monkeys under similar conditions. GnRH therapy during the luteal phase affected subsequent cycles significantly, while no differences were observed in the control experiments. Overall mean follicular phase length in the control cycle was 13.4 days; it was significantly increased (P less than 0.005) in all post-GnRH treatment cycles to reach 34.4 (+/- 10.9), 43.9 (+/- 12.7), 40.4 (+/- 13.0), and 23.1 (+/- 4.8) days (+/- SE) in the first to fourth post-GnRH cycles, respectively. Progesterone secretion was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in the first two post-GnRH cycles than in the control cycles: progesterone, 46.4 (+/- 2.1) in all control cycles, decreased to 27.7 (+/- 3.7), 24.8 (+/- 4.3), 34.0 (+/- 5.4), and 32.0 (+/- 6.5) surface units (+/- SE) from the first to fourth post-GnRH cycles, respectively, while luteal phase length remained relatively unchanged. The data indicate that significant disturbances in the menstrual cycle of the rhesus monkey follow imposed changes in the normal frequency pattern of the GnRH hypophysiotropic signal during the luteal phase and suggest that the naturally occurring slowing of GnRH-LH pulse frequency during the luteal phase is a relevant phenomenon in the sequence of events which control menstrual cyclicity.
灵长类动物排卵性月经周期的两个阶段以促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）脉冲发生器的不同活动为特征。在黄体期，促黄体生成素（LH）脉冲频率显著低于卵泡期。在本报告中，我们研究黄体期脉冲频率的降低是否与正常月经周期具有生理相关性。我们测试了在黄体期以每小时一次的间隔静脉内脉冲式注入GnRH，持续8 - 10天，对8只雌性恒河猴随后三到五个周期的影响。8只动物中有3只接受了两个疗程的治疗。注入的GnRH量分别为1.5微克/脉冲（n = 2次试验）；3.0微克/脉冲（n = 7）；和4.0微克/脉冲（n = 2）。对1.5微克和3.0微克GnRH脉冲的LH反应类似于黄体期观察到的自发性LH脉冲。在GnRH注入期间，猴子佩戴灵长类动物背心并被拴系。在这些猴子身上在类似条件下进行了11次对照实验。黄体期的GnRH治疗对随后的周期有显著影响，而在对照实验中未观察到差异。对照周期中卵泡期的总体平均长度为13.4天；在所有GnRH治疗后的周期中显著增加（P < 0.005），在GnRH治疗后的第一至第四个周期分别达到34.4（±10.9）、43.9（±12.7）、40.4（±13.0）和23.1（±4.8）天（±标准误）。在前两个GnRH治疗后的周期中孕酮分泌显著低于对照周期（P < 0.05）：所有对照周期中的孕酮为46.4（±2.1），在GnRH治疗后的第一至第四个周期分别降至27.7（±3.7）、24.8（±4.3）、34.0（±5.4）和32.0（±6.5）表面单位（±标准误），而黄体期长度保持相对不变。数据表明，恒河猴月经周期的显著紊乱是由于黄体期GnRH促垂体信号正常频率模式的人为改变所致，并表明黄体期自然发生的GnRH - LH脉冲频率减慢是控制月经周期事件序列中的一个相关现象。
