Correlation between sexual steroid effect and activity changes and isoenzyme distribution of lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) in rat anterior pituitary.

Sexual steroid feed-back is a fundamental regulating factor oification of pituitary metabolism in rat. Oestrogen synthesis and/or activity of M subunif testosterone, in males testosterone treatment as well as lack of oestrogen result in characteristic pituitary LDH activity and isoenzyme distribution. Physiological doses of sexual steroids affect, directly or indirectly, pituitary LDH activity, oxydative metabolism, and imply different biochemical bases for the polypeptide hormone production in the anterior pituitary gland.