Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Agonist (LHRH-A) Binds to Lymphocythes and Modulates the Immune Response

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) is the most powerful hormone concerned with reproduction, interacting at all levels of tne hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis via specific receptors located in the plasma membrane of target tissues (brain, pituitary, ovary, testis, placenta, lactating mammary gland, mammary carcinoma) 1 - 8 . In recent years, a great emphasis has been placed on the interactions between the reproductive and immune systems 9 . The hormones involved in these interactions originate from the thymus, the hypothalamus-pituitary unit, and the gonads. On the other hand, cells of the immune system have the potential to produce many neuroendocrine peptide hormones (such as ACTH, endorphins, vasoactive intestinal peptide and thyrotropin) and also seem to possess their receptors 10 .