Effect of Testosterone and Estradiol on the Basal and LRF-Stimulated Secretion of Gonadotropins in Pituitary Cell Culture

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Abstract
The effect of testosterone and estradiol on the basal and LRF-stimulated secretion of gonadotropins was investigated utilizing monolayer cultures of rat anterior pituitary cells. Addition of synthetic LRF consistently yielded higher concentrations of radioimmunoassayable LH and FSH in both the medium and the cells. Testosterone (1μg/ml) or estradiol (0.5μg/ml) stimulated the basal release of both gonadotropins, but diminished the LRF-stimulated release of LH and FSH. The effect of testosterone on the basal or LRF-stimulated release of gonadotropins was more pronounced compared to estradiol. Estradiol diminished the LRF-stimulated increase of LH and FSH in the cells while testosterone had a similar effect on LH but not on FSH. Neither steroid, in absence of LRF, significantly altered the cellular content of LH, but testosterone slightly increased the FSH content. These results provide additional direct evidence for the effect of gonadal steroids on the basal and LRF-stimulated secretion of gonadotropins at the pituitary cell level.

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