Re-evaluation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) action on pituitary cell differentiation with special regard to its effect on LH and TSH cell types.

We have previously demonstrated that TRH induces several hypophyseal cell type differentiation. In the present study, we re-evaluated the effect of GnRH on gonadotroph differentiation, and we determined whether gonadotropin is implicated in the appearance of other pituitary cell types. These effects were compared to the influence of TRH on LH and TSH cell differentiation. Pituitary primordia of 11 day-old rat embryos were cultured in a synthetic medium until the equivalent of term, and the LH and TSH cell differentiation was visualized using an immunohistochemical technique. The effect of GnRH on pituitary hormone cells was evaluated by measuring the percentage of immunoreactive area per section. GnRH, when added on the first day of culture, induced LH and TSH cell differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. GnRH was more effective than TRH in inducing gonadotropic phenotype expression. This suggests that GnRH, which evokes LH release, is the most effective factor inducing gonadotroph differentiation in early fetal life. However, GnRH was as effective as TRH in thyrotroph differentiation. Lactotrophs were detected in primordia cultured with GnRH. As lactotroph phenotype differentiation is controlled by the alpha-subunit of glycoproteic hormone, further studies are required to determine whether or not GnRH effect on lactotroph is direct. GnRH did not affect the corticotroph and somatotroph differentiation. These results confirm that hypothalamic factors such as TRH or GnRH are capable of inducing more than one pituitary cell phenotypes.