Response to Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Factor (LRF) in Normal Subjects and Anovulatory Patients

Abstract

Recently the following decapeptide sequence for porcine luteinizing hormone releasing factor (LRF) was proposed by Schally's group: (Pyro) Glu-His-Trp-Ser-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH₂. The polypeptide corresponding to this structure has been synthetized and this synthetic LRF is now available for clinical study. Intravenous administration of synthetic LRF in dose of 200 μg stimulated a rise in serum LH and FSH in normal subjects. Most anovulatory patients showed approximately the same degree of response to LRF. No rise in serum LH or FSH occurred in an anovulatory patient with panhypopituitarism following injection of 200 μg of LRF. It may be concluded that synthetic LRF is convenient means for testing the integrity of the human pituitary for LH and FSH secretion.