Differential actions of endothelin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone in pituitary gonadotrophs

Abstract

Endothelin (ET) and GnRH act through specific receptors to promote Ca2+ mobilization and influx pathways in pituitary gonadotrophs. In the present study cytoplasmic calcium ([Ca2+]i) and secretory responses to these two agonists are compared. In single gonadotrophs, low concentrations of both agonists cause oscillatory [Ca2+]i responses after a latent period. Such responses usually consist of discrete transients arising from the normal resting level, but are sometimes super-imposed on an elevated basal calcium level. At high doses, ET-1 and GnRH induce biphasic responses, composed of a spike phase followed by a plateau that often shows high frequency and low amplitude Ca2+ transients. The duration of the latent period and the frequency of the subsequent oscillations are correlated, and both are dependent on agonist concentration. The frequencies and amplitudes of Ca2+ spiking are also interrelated; increases in frequency are followed by more rapid decreases in the amplitude of the Ca2+ transients. After K(+)-induced depolarization, gonadotrophs retain their oscillatory Ca2+ responses to ET-1 and GnRH, with the same frequency as controls. Activation of protein kinase-C by phorbol esters does not alter the frequency of ET-induced Ca2+ transients, but significantly reduces their amplitudes. In contrast, treatment with nanomolar concentrations of thapsigargin converts ET-induced oscillations into a biphasic response, suggesting that Ca(2+)-ATPase in the endoplasmic reticulum participates in the oscillatory mechanism. The two agonists differ in their threshold doses and concentration dependence, ET being significantly less potent than GnRH. Also, gonadotrophs stimulated by ET-1 exhibit different post-treatment responsiveness than those exposed to GnRH. While GnRH-treated cells recover their full [Ca2+]i and secretory responses within 30 min as well as normal [Ca2+]i and secretory responses to ET-1, endothelin-treated cells are refractory to further stimulation with ET and exhibit either attenuated or enhanced Ca2+ and LH responses to GnRH, depending on the duration of exposure to ET-1 and the subsequent recovery period. These data indicate that both receptors use the same mechanism(s) for Ca2+ release, but have different capacities to generate, maintain, and reinitiate the Ca2+ signal.