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Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Cancer

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Synonyms

GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; LHRH, LH-releasing hormone; LRF, luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing factor

Definition

GnRH is the central regulator of reproduction. GnRH binds and activates its cognate receptor in pituitary gonadotropes, resulting in the synthesis and release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) that control ovulation and spermatogenesis.

Characteristics

To isolate GnRH, Andrew Schally’s group collected 2.5 million pig brains, while Roger Guillemin’s group collected 5 million sheep brains, and while competing, both groups have announced in 1971 the isolation and structure of GnRH as pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly.NH2. For their outstanding work, both Guillemin and Schally received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1977.

The pulsatile nature of hypothalamic GnRH secretion is absolutely required for physiological maintenance of gonadotropin (LH and FSH) secretion. Continuous exposure of the pituitary to GnRH results in...

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References

  • Burgus R, Butcher M, Ling N et al (1971) Molecular structure of the hypothalamic factor (LRF) of ovine origin monitoring the secretion of pituitary gonadotropic hormone of luteinization (LH). C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D 273:1611–1613

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  • Kraus S, Naor Z, Seger R (2006) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone in apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Cancer Lett 234:109–123

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  • Reinhart J, Mertz LM, Catt KJ (1992) Molecular cloning and expression of cDNA encoding the murine gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor. J Biol Chem 267:21281–21284

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  • Schally AV, Arimura A, Baba Y et al (1971) Isolation and properties of the FSH and LH-releasing hormone. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 43:393–399

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  • Tsutsumi M, Zhou W, Millar RP et al (1992) Cloning and functional expression of a mouse gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor. Mol Endocrinol 6:1163–1169

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Zvi Naor

  2. Department of Biological Regulation, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

    Rony Seger

Authors
  1. Zvi Naor
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  2. Rony Seger
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zvi Naor .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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Naor, Z., Seger, R. (2015). Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_2477-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_2477-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

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