Hypothalamic luteinizing hormone increases dramatically following intracerebroventricular injection of colchicine.

We have previously described the presence and wide distribution of a luteinizing hormone (LH)-like peptide, widely distributed in the rat central nervous system, with highest levels in the hypothalamus. We have found that intracerebroventricular injection of 100 micrograms colchicine causes a significant rise in hypothalamic LH, from 549 +/- 170 pg/mg protein (n = 12) in controls to 1,679 +/- 279 pg/mg protein (n = 13) in treated animals, p less than 0.01. There was no associated change in levels of LH in the pituitary. Since colchicine stops axoplasmic flow, these findings of colchicine-induced increase in hypothalamic LH indicate that at least a portion of hypothalamic LH is present in long-axoned neuronal elements with cell bodies within the hypothalamus and axons extending to the extrahypothalamic brain. Thus, hypothalamic LH does not solely represent measurement of LH in cells of the contignous pars tuberalis.