Countercurrent transfer of 125I-LHRH in the perihypophyseal cavernous sinus-carotid rete vascular complex,demonstrated on isolated pig heads perfused with autologous blood

The objective of the study was to determine whether the local permeability of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) from the venous blood of the perihypophyseal cavernous sinus into the arterial blood of the carotid rete, supplying the brain and hypophysis in gilts, depends on the day of the estrous cycle, as well as to determine whether this transfer exists when LH concentration in the blood is reduced (the experimental short-loop negative feedback for LH secretion after estradiol injection in ovariectomized gilts). Experiments were conducted on isolated gilt heads with necks, on chosen days of the estrous cycle (n = 40), and on previously ovariectomized gilts treated with estradiol benzoate (EB) (n = 5) or corn oil (n = 3). After exsanguination, the gilt heads with necks were disarticulated and about 30–45 min later were supplied with autologous, oxygenated, and heated blood at a stable blood flow and pressure through the left carotid artery for 30 min. ¹²⁵I-LHRH was infused into both cavernous sinuses through the cannulated angularis oculi veins for 5 min. After ¹²⁵I-LHRH infusion, radiolabeled LHRH was found (P < 0.001) in arterial blood taken from the carotid rete through the open right carotid artery in all animals used in the experiment: on Days 1–2 (six gilts), on Days 12–14 (seven gilts) of the estrous cycle, and in five ovariectomized gilts during negative feedback for LH surge (40 hr after EB). No significant radioactivity of ¹²⁵I-LHRH was found in the arterial blood on Days 3–5 (n = 6), 9–11 (n = 4), and 15–21 (n = 17) of the estrous cycle. A very low level of radioactivity was found in the ovariectomized control group after the injection of corn oil (n = 3). These results provide evidence for the permeability of LHRH from the venous to the arterial blood and its retrograde transport with the arterial blood to the hypophysis and brain, after the ovulation period (Days 1–2) and on Days 12–14 of the estrous cycle. This suggests that a close relationship exists between the day of the estrous cycle and LHRH permeability from the venous to the arterial blood in the perihypophyseal cavernous sinus—the carotid rete complex in gilts—and that this mechanism may be included in a short-loop feedback for LHRH secretion.