SEASONAL VARIATION IN THE EPISODIC SECRETION OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND TESTOSTERONE IN THE RAM

Abstract

SUMMARY Rams of an ancient breed of domestic sheep (Soay) were housed under artificial lighting conditions to study the way in which the secretion of LH and testosterone changes in relation to the mating season. Conspicuous changes were found in the short-term fluctuations in plasma LH concentrations related to the cycle of testis growth and regression; serial blood samples collected at short intervals revealed episodic peaks in plasma LH at all times, but there were changes in the frequency (lowest when the testes were regressed and highest when fully active), amplitude (lowest at the peak of testis activity, and highest during the developing phase), and duration of the peaks (shortest when the testes were regressed). In addition, the basal levels changed from being lowest in the regressed phase of the testis cycle, and highest when the gonads were most active. Plasma testosterone concentrations changed in parallel with the cycle of testis size and were correlated with the fluctuating levels of LH. Each episodic peak in plasma LH was associated with an increase in the level of testosterone, beginning after 0–30 min and rising to a peak at 60–90 min; the speed and magnitude of the response being greatest when the testes were largest, but was not correlated with the magnitude of the LH change. Injections of LH releasing hormone (5 μg) stimulated an increase in plasma LH and testosterone proportional to the endogenous fluctuations in the hormones at the various stages of the seasonal cycle; LH concentrations were raised to supra-physiological levels after the injections, while testosterone concentrations seldom exceeded the normal peak values at any stage. These observations are used to discuss the role of the hypothalamus in the control of male seasonality with emphasis on the dynamic interplay between the hypothalamus, pituitary and testis.