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Plasma and pituitary concentrations of LH, FSH and prolactin in aged female C57BL/6 mice

Summary. Plasma and pituitary concentrations of LH, FSH and prolactin were determined by radioimmunoassay in 2-month-old (young) and 16–20-month-old (old) C57BL/6 mice. There were no statistical differences in hormonal levels between aged females in oestrus (those exhibiting a copulatory plug) and those in constant dioestrus. In the old females plasma levels of LH (P < 0·002) and FSH (P < 0·001) were significantly elevated, while levels of prolactin (P < 0·001) were significantly depressed when compared with those from young animals. Pituitary homogenates from old females also contained more gonadotrophins (P < 0·001) and less prolactin (P < 0·001) than those of the young females. A radioreceptor assay utilizing a plasma membrane of luteinized rat or mouse ovaries indicated that LH from 2-month-old animals bound better to ovarian receptors (P < 0·05) than did LH from old mice, although radioimmunoassay of the same samples gave higher ( P < 0·01) plasma LH levels for the old mice. Since the radioreceptor assay is considered to be a more sensitive test for biologically active LH, the results from these two types of assays suggest that there may be an alteration in the mouse LH molecule with age.

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