Isolation of the Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle-stimulating Hormone-releasing Hormone from Porcine Hypothalami

Abstract

Abstract A new procedure is described for the isolation on a preparative scale of a hypothalamic decapeptide which stimulates the release of both luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary. The isolation was achieved mainly by countercurrent distribution. The yield from 240,000 porcine hypothalami was 11.4 mg. Thin layer chromatography and electrophoresis showed the material to be homogeneous. The amino acid analyses showed the presence of 2 residues of glycine and 1 residue each of histidine, arginine, tryptophan, serine, glutamic acid, proline, leucine, and tyrosine. This decapeptide stimulates release of both LH and FSH in vivo as well as in vitro in doses smaller than 1 ng. It is thought to be the hypothalamic hormone which controls secretion of both LH and FSH from the pituitary gland.