Hypothalamic and posterior pituitary content of vasoactive intestinal peptide and gonadotropin-releasing hormones I and II in the turkey hen.

An inverse relationship often exists between prolactin (Prl) and LH in avian species. Our study was designed to investigate the relationship between hypothalamic and posterior pituitary vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)--an endogenous Prl-releasing peptide--and chicken GnRH-I and GnRH-II. Hypothalamic VIP content was increased after photostimulation, reaching its highest levels in incubating and photorefractory birds. The highest hypothalamic GnRH-I content was in laying hens followed by that in photostimulated and incubating birds. The lowest levels were in the nonphotostimulated birds. Hypothalamic GnRH-II increased after photostimulation, then fell to nonphotostimulated levels during incubation and photorefractoriness. Posterior pituitary VIP content was elevated in response to photostimulation, reaching a peak value in the laying and incubating birds, then declining in the photorefractory hens. Posterior pituitary GnRH-I and GnRH-II content peaked in the incubating birds. Ovariectomy caused a significant reduction in hypothalamic GnRH-I and GnRH-II with no effect on VIP; no changes were found in the posterior pituitary due to ovariectomy. Reducing day length caused a significant decrease in the hypothalamic and the posterior pituitary content of VIP and GnRH-I, and GnRH-II. Ovine Prl (oPrl) administration to laying hens reduced the hypothalamic VIP and GnRH-I and GnRh-II content. Posterior pituitary GnRH-I content was also reduced. Although GnRH-II levels were reduced by Day 4 of injections, they rose to peak levels by Day 14 of oPrl administration. Posterior pituitary VIP content was not altered by oPrl.