Administration of GnRH in vivo stimulates progesterone and inhibits androgen accumulation by ovarian follicles isolated from pubertal rabbits

A single i.v. injection of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) to pubertal female rabbits led to an ovulatory pulse of LH but no ovulations resulted. By contrast, 5 i.v. injections over 6 h led to 1-3 ovulations in 5 of 8 animals treated. Twenty-four hours after the initial injection animals were killed and follicles isolated. Large follicles greater than 1 mm dia, from both GnRH treated groups released more progesterone during the control incubation period than those from saline treated. Small follicles less than 1 mm dia, from the same GnRH groups accumulated 3-6 times more progesterone than those from saline treated when stimulated with luteinizing hormone (LH). Testosterone accumulation by small and large follicles was not affected by one injection of GnRH but was depressed in follicles from rabbits treated with 5 injections of GnRH. A single injection of GnRH enhanced the ability of small and large follicles to release estradiol which was depressed 30% in the presence of LH. Multiple GnRH injections depressed estradiol accumulation by small and large follicles. These data suggest the administration of GnRH in vivo can have stimulatory as well as inhibitory effects on subsequent follicular steroid release and accumulation in vitro.