The purification of luteinizing-hormone-releasing factor with some observations on its properties.

Bullock median-eminence tissue was used as a source of luteinizing-hormone-releasing factor for small-scale experiments to explore methods for its isolation. The presence of luteinizing-hormone-releasing factor was detected by the ovulation response in rabbits after intrapituitary infusion of the extract. Gel filtration was found to be suitable for the purification of these extracts. The releasing factor appeared to be a basic peptide of molecular weight in the range 1200-2500. On a larger scale, an extract of hypothalamic tissue from sheep was used to establish a multi-stage isolation procedure that resulted in a 200000-fold purification of luteinizing-hormone-releasing factor. After the initial extraction the isolation process consisted of: (1) two cycles of gel filtration; (2) anion-exchange chromatography; (3) gel filtration in a partially organic medium; (4) thin-layer chromatography on cellulose. Stage (3) separated two zones of activity each containing peptides. One of these was purified further by stage (4) to give a preparation that was active at a dose of 6mug. of peptide/animal, although activity diminished seriously during storage. This preparation contained only five or six components, but the small amounts of peptides obtained at this stage of purity were insufficient for full characterization.