Regulation of luteinizing hormone release by pulsatile and continuous administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone to superfused rat and hamster pituitary cells.

Regulation of LH release by GnRH was studied in superfused anterior pituitary cells from 30-day-old female rats or hamsters. Dispersed cells were cultured 4-6 days on Cytodex beads, then loaded into water-jacketed columns, and perfused with medium (0.5 ml/min) at 37 C. Three-minute fractions of effluent were assayed for LH by RIA. LH release was dose related between 10(-10) and 10(-7) M GnRH. Rat and hamster cells released LH at peak rates of 11.3 and 12.5 ng/(min X 10(6) cells), respectively, when first exposed to 10(-8) M GnRH. Short pulses (6 min) of 10(-8) M GnRH given at 30-min intervals had little effect on the rate of LH release by rat pituitary cells; however, if the interpulse interval was reduced to 12 min, release declined 72% by the fifth pulse. In contrast, pulses of 10(-6) M GnRH at 30-min intervals desensitized rat cells. Hamster cells were desensitized by 10(-8) M GnRH after a single pulse regardless of whether a second pulse was given 30 min or 2.5 h later. Similar desensitization also occurred at other doses (10(-9) and 10(-6) M). After five pulses at 30-min intervals, the LH release rate in hamster cells was depressed 65%. Release was depressed 80% by pulses at 12-min intervals. Thus, in rats, desensitization is both frequency and dose dependent, whereas in hamsters, it is independent of frequency and dose. Stimulation with 10(-6) M GnRH pulses completely overcame desensitization in both species. Continuous exposure of anterior pituitary cells to 10(-8) M GnRH caused an initial rapid LH release, followed by a steady decline in the rate of release from peak rates to baseline levels by 2.5 h in both species. A 6-min, 10(-6) M GnRH pulse given immediately after a 3-h 10(-8) M GnRH exposure rapidly stimulated the cells to release LH at rates up to 192% of initial rates. When these pulses were continued at 30-min intervals, additional desensitization occurred. This overcoming of desensitization shows that desensitized anterior pituitary cells are not refractory to GnRH and suggests that the GnRH regulation of LH release may involve more than one GnRH receptor-mediated phenomenon.