Neutralization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in neonatal rats with permanent impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.

Abstract

Males rats were passively immunized at 5 days of age with a single 0.25 ml i.p. injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antiserum. Control animals were given an equal volume of normal rabbit serum (NRS). Serial blood determinations of gonadotropins, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were obtained at intervals ranging from early in life through adult life. Gonadotropin secretion was reduced (P less than 0.025) up to 35 days of age. Androgen secretion (testosterone) was reduced (P less than 0.05) at 10 and 33 days of age. When hCG was given to 54-day-old (young adult), and 100-day-old and 15-month-old animals, testosterone concentrations were similar in both experimental and control groups 1 h after hCG stimulation. As adults, basal gonadotropins were the same in both groups; however, after GnRH stimulation, the GnRH antiserum-treated groups showed an increased gonadotropin response when compared to the NRS control group. In order to determine whether there was an alteration in steroid feedback, other animals were castrated at adult age (approximately 100 days old), and exogenous testosterone was given in increasing increments. However, serum gonadotropins decreased similarly in treated and control groups. These data indicate that a single injection of GnRH antiserum early in life decreased gonadotropin secretion temporarily during prepubertal sexual development and caused a permanent alteration in hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular function.