EVIDENCE FOR AN ENZYMIC COMPONENT IN THE RAT HYPOTHALAMUS CAPABLE OF INACTIVATING LUTEINIZING HORMONE RELEASING FACTOR (LRF)

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is known that the hypothalamus contains peptidases capable of inactivating oxytocin, that the activity of these enzymes is inversely related to luteinizing hormone (LH) release and that they might be involved in luteinizing hormone-releasing factor (LRF) metabolism (Griffiths & Hooper 1973b). To more fully determine the peptidases' function, synthetic LRF was incubated with the supernatant hypothalamic fraction containing the peptidases' activity. Using two different assay systems, it was found that the LRF was inactivated after incubation with the fraction. This preliminary evidence suggests that an enzymic component is present in the rat hypothalamus, which is capable of inactivating LRF.