In Vitro Effect of Ethanol Exposure on Basal and GnRH-Stimulated LH Secretion from Pituitary Cells

The question of whether ethanol's (ETOH's) known suppressive effect on serum luteinizing hormone (LH) could be mediated directly at the anterior pituitary level was addressed by examining the effects of ETOH in vitro on release of LH from cultured male rat pituitary cells. The impact of added ethanol concentrations ranging from 50 to 400 mg% on LH release was examined in the basal state and after stimulation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) at a dose of 5 x 10(-10) M. While ETOH did not significantly suppress basal LH release, secretion stimulated with GnRH was noted to be attenuated with higher doses of ETOH (greater than or equal to 100 mg%) compared to stimulated control cells. It is concluded that ETOH exposure in vitro alters stimulated LH secretion by acting directly on pituitary gonadotropes.