A B S T R A C T The physiological role of thyrotropinreleasing hormone (TRH) in the regulation of thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) and prolactin (Prl) secretion has been assumed but not proven. Stimulation of their release requires pharmacologic doses of TRH. Lesions of the hypothalamus usually induce an inhibition of TSH secretion and an increase in Prl. To determine whether TRH is essential for TSH and Prl secretion in the rat, 0.1 ml of TRH antiserum (TRH-Ab) or normal rabbit serum was administered to normal, thyroidectomized, cold-exposed, and proestrus rats through indwelling atrial catheter. Serum samples were obtained before and at frequent intervals thereafter. Serum TSH concentrations in normal, thyroidectomized, cold-exposed, and proestrus rats were not depressed in specimens obtained up to 24 h after injection of normal rabbit serum. In contrast, serum TSH was significantly decreased after the administration of TRH-Ab in all normal (basal, 41±8 AU/ml [mean±SE]; 30 min, 6+-2; 45 min, 8+3; 75 min, 4±2); thyroidectomized (basal, 642+32 ,uU/ml; 30 min, 418±32; 60 min, 426±36; 120 min, 516±146); coldstressed (basal, 68±19 uU/ml; 30 min, 4±3; 180 min, 16±8); and proestrus (basal, 11 a.m., 57±10,U/ml; 1 p.m., 20±3; 3 p.m., 13±4; 5 p.m., 19±3) rats. However, 0.1 ml of TRH-Ab had no effect on basal Prl concentrations in normal or thyroidectomized rats and did not prevent the Prl rise in rats exposed to cold (basal, 68+7 ng/ml; 15 min, 387±121; 30 min, 212+ 132; 60 min, 154+114), or the Prl surge observed on the afternoon of proestrus (basal 11 a.m., 23±2 ng/ml; 1 p.m., 189±55; 3 p.m., 1,490±260; 5 p.m., 1,570+286). These studies demonstrate that TRH is required for TSH secretion in the normal, cold-exposed and proestrus rat and contributes, at least in part, to TSH secretion in the hypothyroid rat, but is not required for Prl secretion in these states.
INTRODUCTIONThe administration of pharmacologic doses of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)' has been demonstrated to stimulate thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) and prolactin (Prl) synthesis and release from the anterior pituitary (1-5). Surgical or pathologic lesions ofthe hypothalamus have resulted in decreased TSH release and subsequent hypothyroidism (6)(7)(8)(9)(10). It is well established that Prl secretion is tonically suppressed by dopamine either by a direct effect on the pituitary or by modulating the release of the Prl inhibiting factor. Median eminence and pituitary stalk lesions usually enhance rather than suppress Prl secretion (11,12), although this is not always observed in unstressed rats after hypothalamic deafferentation (13). In intact animals, electrical stimulation of the hypothalamic "hypophysiotropic area" (14) has been shown to increase serum TSH levels (10,15), presumably secondary to TRH release, although direct experimental evidence of enhanced TRH release is lacking. The effect of such electrical stimulation on Prl secretion is variable (16). The alterations in TSH or Prl release after hypothalamic lesion...