Rt. Scott et al., GONADOTROPIN RESPONSIVENESS TO ULTRALOW-DOSE LEUPROLIDE ACETATE ADMINISTRATION IN BABOONS, Fertility and sterility, 59(5), 1993, pp. 1124-1128
Objective: To evaluate the gonadotropin response to ultralow doses of
a GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate (LA). Design: Prospective and cross
-controlled. Setting: Primate research center. Subjects: Four reproduc
tive age cycling baboons (Papio cyanocephalus). Interventions: Three d
ifferent doses of LA were given intravenously to each animal followed
by serial sampling. Main Outcome Measures: Response patterns of circul
ating serum gonadotropin levels. Results: All four animals responded t
o each of the three doses of LA in a dose-dependent fashion. Levels of
LH and FSH peaked at 49.5 +/- 2.6 mIU/mL and 72.5 +/- 3.4 mIU/mL, res
pectively, for the highest dose studied (0.17 mug/kg). Levels of LH pe
aked earlier but were lower than the FSH peak levels. Conclusions: Sup
raphysiological levels of gonadotropins are attained after the adminis
tration of ultralow doses of LA. The level of the response is dose-dep
endent and is in the range that is required to attain controlled ovari
an hyperstimulation.