ADRENAL-GONADAL INTERACTIONS IN LH/FSH REGULATION

初步的研究表明， 出生后早期的促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH） 导致循环FSH水平的永久性和选择性抑制 在成人中。 本提案中概述的研究旨在 研究血清FSH水平降低的病因， 获得更多关于神经内分泌控制系统的信息， 调节男性垂体分泌FSH。 时间和剂量 出生后促肾上腺皮质激素或糖皮质激素治疗对促性腺激素调节将 以及表现出最大易感性的发育时期 FSH的变化。 详细的组织学分析， 将在表现出慢性FSH抑制的雄性中进行睾丸试验。 精子发生和/或细胞形态的改变将表明 出生后肾上腺皮质激活的影响，并将表明可能的 生产地点的物质负责的选择性 垂体FSH分泌减少。 性腺循环水平 类固醇和垂体促性腺激素将通过放射免疫测定法进行监测 正常男性和FSH调节改变的男性。 此外，本发明还提供了一种方法， 受控释放装置将用于在生理上维持 雌二醇和/或睾酮的有效水平 动物 这些装置的相对恒定的释放速率将 允许研究睾丸激素之间的稳态相互作用 和雌二醇调节促性腺激素分泌。 此外，本发明还提供了一种方法， 计划研究下丘脑血流在负性 下丘脑LHRH和垂体促性腺激素的反馈控制 分泌物 新生儿ACTH对下丘脑血流量及LHRH的影响 也将被审查。

Preliminary studies hae shown that the treatment of male rats with adrenocorti-cotropic hormone (ACTH) during the early postnatal period will result in a permanent and selective suppression of circulating FSH levels in the adult. The studies outlined in this proposal are designed to investigate the etiology of this reduction in serum FSH levels and to acquire more information about the neuroendocrine control systems which regulate the pituitary secretion of FSH in males. The timing and dose of postnatal ACTH or glucocorticoid treatment on gonadotropin regulation will be studied and the developmental periods which show maximum susceptibility for FSH alterations delineated. A detailed histological analysis of the testis will be conducted in males which exhibit chronic FSH suppression. Alterations in spermatogenesis and/or cellular morphology will indicate the effects of postnatal adrenocortical activation and will suggest possible sites of production for substance(s) responsible for the selective reduction in pituitary FSH secretion. Circulating levels of gonadal steroids and pituitary gonadotropins will be monitored by radioimmunoassay in normal males and males exhibiting altered FSH regulation. In addition, conrolled release devices will be used to maintain physiologically effective levels of estradiol and/or testosterone in gonadectomized animals. The relatively constant release rates of these devices will permit the investigation of steady-state interactions between testosterone and estradiol in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion. In addition, studies are planned on the role of hypothalamic blood flow in the negative feedback control of hypothalamic LHRH and pituitary gonadotropin secretion. Effects of neonatal ACTH on hypothalamic blood flow and LHRH will also be examined.