Effects of dexamethasone on the responses of luteinizing hormone and testosterone to two injections of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone in young postpubertal bulls.

Six young postpubertal bulls were studied in two experiments, 3 months apart. In experiment 1, three bulls received i.m. injections of dexamethasone (20 mg) and 5 h later these animals plus three control bulls received i.m. injections of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH, 250 microgram). In experiment 2, the controls from experiment 1 received dexamethasone and the treated animals from experiment 1 acted as controls for experiment 2. All bulls also received an i.m. injection of 250 microgram LH-RH on day 2 of each experiment. The concentrations of LH and testosterone in samples of jugular blood were determined by radioimmunoassay. There were no significant differences in the patterns of testosterone and LH release between the two experiments. On day 1, the response of LH to LH-RH was significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced by dexamethasone, but on day 2 values in the control and treated groups were similar although significantly (P less than 0.05) lower than values on day 1. The response of testosterone to LH-RH was not affected by dexamethasone. These results are discussed in terms of the site of action at which dexamethasone may act to depress the release of LH.