Adrenomedullectomy prevents the suppression of pulsatile luteinising hormone release during fasting in female rats

Fasting inhibits the pulsatile secretion of luteinising hormone (LH) in fem ale rats, an effect which is potentiated by the presence of oestradiol (E-2 ). We have previously described various pharmacological or surgical treatme nts that can rapidly restore the pulses in a fasting animal. Nevertheless, the central and peripheral mechanisms that mediate this suppression of the pulses remain unclear. We have recently shown that adrenomedullectomy preve nts the suppression of LH pulses by insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, a state which activates the sympathoadrenal axis. The present study was undertaken to establish whether this axis might contribute to the loss of the pulses t hat occurs in ovariectomised E-2-treated rats that have been fasted for 48 h. Following sham adrenomedullectomy LH pulses were observed in animals fed ad libitum; after 48 h of fasting the animals that had received this sham procedure showed a significant suppression of LH levels and LH pulse freque ncy. In contrast, adrenomedullectomy prevented the inhibition of the pulses by 48 h of fasting; it had no effect on the pulses in the absence of fasti ng, These results suggest that adrenomedullary activity plays a significant role in the fasting-induced suppression of LH pulses in rats.