PITUITARY SECRETION OF PROLACTIN, LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND FOLLICLESTIMULATING HORMONE IN ADULT FEMALE RATS TREATED NEONATALLY WITH OESTROGEN

SUMMARY The serum and pituitary levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were determined by radioimmunoassay in adult female rats treated neonatally with oestrogen and were compared with levels in normal cyclic rats at 90, 150 and/or 180 days of age. The serum level of prolactin was significantly higher and its pituitary content and concentration were lower in oestrogenized rats than in control rats at early prooestrus and on the 2nd day of dioestrus. The level of LH in the serum of oestrogenized rats was similar to the level in control rats at pro-oestrus and was higher than that of the controls at dioestrus. Pituitary levels of LH were lower in oestrogenized rats than in control rats at both pro-oestrus and dioestrus. The serum and pituitary levels of FSH in the oestrogenized rats were intermediate between the values found at dioestrus and at pro-oestrus in the controls. The results demonstrate that the pituitary of the neonatally oestrogenized female rat constantly secretes considerable amounts of these hormones.