NALOXONE AFFECTS THE LUTEINIZING-HORMONE SECRETORY PATTERN IN THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM OVARIECTOMIZED RAT

The effect of naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist, on the secretory pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) was evaluated in 4-, 16- and 32-week ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Freely moving rats bearing cardiac cannulae were bled every 6 min for 3 h. During the first 90 min of bleeding, an equal volume of saline was injected after withdrawal of each blood sample, while during the second 90 min the replacement was done with saline containing naloxone at a dose of 0.5 (lower dose) or 1.0 (higher dose) mg/kg/h; statistical comparison was done between both treatment periods. In 4-week OVX rats, a significant increase in the mean LH level was observed through the 90-min period of lower-dose naloxone treatment, without significant changes in the pulse frequency and amplitude. In 4-week OVX rats treated with the higher dose and in 16-week OVX rats treated with either the lower or the higher dose, a significant elevation in mean LH levels was observed only during the first 30 min of treatment, which was probably related to the first, large LH peak in the naloxone treatment period. However, together with pulses appearing later in the treatment period, no significant changes were found in the LH pulsatility except for a decrease in frequency in 4-week OVX rats. In 32-week OVX rats, even the lower-dose naloxone did not induce an elevation in mean LH levels. The results demonstrate that naloxone can increase the LH secretion in the absence of ovarian hormones, and further that the effect on LH changes depending upon the dose of naloxone and the time after ovariectomy.