THE ACTIVITY OF AN LH-RH-DEGRADING ENZYME IN THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY DURING THE RAT OESTRUS CYCLE AND ITS ALTERATION BY INJECTIONS OF SEX HORMONES

Abstract

ABSTRACT The basal activity of an LH-RH-degrading enzyme system, L-cystine arylamidase, was determined in the pituitary gland of female rats at 4 h intervals throughout the 4-day oestrus cycle. The activity of the enzyme was found to be fluctuating during the four stages of the cycle in a circadian rhythm with the highest values occurring at night and the lowest values at noon. The maximal activity for the whole cycle was measured at 04.00 h on the day of metoestrus, and the minimal activity between 12.00 h and 16.00 h on the day of pro-oestrus. The iv injection of various doses of oestradiol caused only a slight change in enzyme activity of the pituitary during oestrus, but considerable increases were observed during the other three stages. The stimulation of enzyme activity by progesterone was much more pronounced during dioestrus and pro-oestrus as compared with metoestrus and oestrus. Similarly the reaction to the injection with LH and prostaglandin E2, repectively, were not very pronounced during oestrus and metoestrus, whereas the enzyme activity rose by +50% and +100%, respectively, during dioestrus and pro-oestrus. The LH-RH-degrading enzyme system in the pituitary seems to be involved in the control of the tonic LH release, and in the maintenance and regulation of the sensitivity of the gonadotrophs to alterations in LH-RH release from the median eminence.