URINARY GONADOTROPHINS AND LUTEINIZING HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE (LH-RH) LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY DURING THREE NORMAL REPRODUCTIVE CYCLES

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Abstract
Highly specific and sensitive radioimmunological methods were applied to determine the levels of LH-RH [luteinizing hormone releasing hormone] like immunoreactivity in urine previously extracted by spherosil and methanol, and to assay the gonadotropins, after extraction with acetone. The endogenous urinary LH-RH-like immunoreactivity material was identified by chromatography on Sephadex G25, as having physicochemical properties similar to those of the hormone found in unextracted urine after i.v. injection of synthetic LH-RH, but different from those of the synthetic decapeptide. The LH-RH-like immunoreactivity and the gonadotropins were assayed in daily collected urine during the reproductive cycle of 3 normal women. A midcycle peak of both FSH [follicle stimulating hormone] and LH [luteinizing hormone] was found in each subject. No increases of LH-RH-like immunoreactivity were found before or concomitant with the gonadotropin surge. Peaks of urinary LH-RH-like immunoreactivity were observed during the luteal phase, without subsequent increase of gonadotropin secretion.