Effect of inhibin-like activity on LH-RH-stimulated release of FSH by pituitary glands from female rats in vitro

During long-term incubation of pituitary glands from intact female rats in the presence of inhibin-like activity, LH-RH-stimulated release of FSH becomes inhibited after 4 h of incubation. However, at the same time inhibition of basal FSH release is included. Therefore, glands were at first incubated for 4 h in the presence of inhibin-like activity to block basal release completely and thereafter LH-RH was added to the medium. It was found that LH-RH still could stimulate FSH release, despite the continuous presence of inhibin-like activity. This means that LH-RH-stimulated release of FSH could be investigated separately from basal release. Using this way of incubation, it was found that part of the action of LH-RH on FSH release was independent of protein synthesis. Also part of LH-RH stimulated FSH release was independent of the presence of extracellular Ca 2+. Furthermore it was found that LH-RH, when added after 4 h of incubation, did stimulate FSH synthesis, in the presence as well as absence of inhibin-like activity. The present results indicate that LH-RH-stimulated release of FSH is not affected by inhibin-like activity. Complete inhibition of basal release and synthesis of FSH does not prevent LH-RH from stimulating FSH release and synthesis. It is suggested that two separate releasing mechanisms for FSH could exist in the pituitary gland.