Abnormal gonadotrophin release from pituitaries of muscular dystrophic mice and hamsters.

LHRH-stimulated LH and FSH secretion was studied in hemipituitaries, in vitro, obtained from several dystrophic mouse mutants (male: 129/ReJ-dy; 129B6F1/J-dy; C57BL/6J-dy and C57BL/6J-dy2J; female: 129B6F1/J-dy) and a dystrophic hamster mutant (male and female CHF-147). Without exception, pituitary tissue from dystrophic animals released significantly more FSH than did tissue obtained from controls. LH secretion was more variable; in the male mice released was inhibited, whereas in the male dystrophic hamsters secretion was elevated above normal. The female mouse mutant pituitary released more LH whereas in the female hamster LH secretion was normal. The reduction in body weight of the mutants studied could have contributed to the observations of impaired anterior pituitary function.