The role of novel arachidonic acid metabolites in GnRH action on gonadotrophin release in vitro.

Lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid were shown to stimulate gonadotrophin release dose-dependently in rat pituitary cells. The secretory activity of the arachidonate metabolite leukotriene C4 (LTC4) was biphasic and 10-fold more potent than that of the physiological stimulus gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). In pre-labelled, superfused pituitary cells, GnRH dose-dependently enhanced the release of [3H]arachidonic acid, which occurred simultaneously with the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH). When cells were pre-treated with GnRH for 24 h no response to a further stimulus by GnRH (10(-7) M) could be observed for either [3H]arachidonate nor LH, demonstrating that also in desensitized cells these two mechanisms react similarly. In addition, a GnRH antagonist did not affect the release of arachidonate or LH. These results suggest that arachidonic acid may be involved in the mechanism of GnRH action on gonadotrophins via its lipoxygenase metabolites and LTC4 could act as a very potent intracellular stimulus of LH secretion.