Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone-Desensitized LβT2 Gonadotrope Cells Are Refractory to Acute Protein Kinase C, Cyclic AMP, and Calcium-Dependent Signaling

Sustained exposure of gonadotropes to GnRH causes a pronounced desensitization of gonadotropin release, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. It is known that desensitization is associated with decreased GnRH receptor and Gq/11 levels in αT3-1 cells, but it is not known whether downstream signaling is impaired. We have shown previously that chronic stimulation of signaling via expression of an active form of Gαq causes GnRH resistance in LβT2 cells. In this study we investigated whether chronic GnRH treatment could down-regulate protein kinase C (PKC), cAMP, or Ca2+-dependent signaling in LβT2 cells. We found that chronic GnRH treatment desensitizes cells to acute GnRH stimulation not only by reducing GnRH receptor and Gq/11 expression but also by down-regulating PKC, cAMP, and calcium-dependent signaling. Desensitization was observed for activation of ERK and p38 MAPK and induction of c-fos and LHβ protein expression. Activation of individual signaling pathways was able to partially mimic the desensitizing effect of GnRH on ERK, p38 MAPK, c-fos, and LHβ but not on Gq/11. Chronic stimulation with phorbol esters reduced GnRH receptor expression to the same extent as chronic GnRH. Sustained GnRH also desensitized PKC signaling by down-regulating the δ, ε, and θ isoforms of PKC. We further show that chronic GnRH treatment causes heterologous desensitization of other Gq-coupled receptors.