Endocrinology, Vol 97, 843-854, Copyright © 1975 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Effect of inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis on gonadotropin release in the rat

SR Ojeda, PG Harms and SM McCann

To study the effect of blockade of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis on gonadotropin release in the rat, inhibitors of PG synthesis were injected by various routes in various experimental conditions. The injection of 5-, 8-, 11-, 14-eicosatetraynoic acid (TYA) into the third ventricle (3rd V) significantly decreased plasma LH of ovariectomized (OVX) rats 1, 2, and 4 h following its injection; however, TYA failed to alter plasma LH in OVX rats when administered as a single sc injection and also failed to prevent the post-castration rise in plasma LH when administered sc once daily for 4 days to short-term OVX rats. None of these treatments altered plasma FSH concentrations. Indomethacin (Id) injected into the 3rd V or implanted into the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) of OVX rats depressed plasma LH 1--6 h later. This effect was no longer observed 24--72 h following its implantation in the MBH. When different doses of Id were administered as single sc injections to OVX rats, plasma LH titers were depressed 24--32 h later, whereas plasma FSH remained either unaltered or was slightly increased. Similarly, the post-castration rise of plasma LH but not that of FSH in male rats was suppressed by a single sc injection of Id given 6 h before orchidectomy. Id administered acutely iv failed to modify the pulsatile release of LH in OVX rats, but it effectively inhibited this release when injected sc 20--30 h before the initiation of blood collection. Moreover, Id blocked the progesterone-induced LH and FSH release in OVX estrogen-primed rats when given sc 24 h before progesterone, but not when it was injected either sc or iv shortly (2 h) before or shortly after (1--3 h) progesterone treatment. Rats treated with Id showed a decrease in BW 24--32 h afters its sc injection. However, the effects of Id on LH release could not be explained by lack of food intake since fasted controls showed LH titers similar to fed rats. Id did not significantly inhibit the LH release in response to synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) in OVX rats, but partially blocked the response in OVX estrogen, progesterone-treated (OEP) rats. Surprisingly, in OEP rats, Id appeared to potentiate the FSH release in response to LHRH. The results of this study indicate that inhibitors of PG synthesis administered at high doses can inhibit LH release in the rat and that this effect is mainly due to a direct effect of the drug or drugs on the central nervous systen. Consequently, the results of this study give further support to the hypothesis that PGs play a physiological role in the control of gonadotropin secretion.