Rat ovarian tissue has been shown to contain high-affinity gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors, and synthetic GnRH analogues have been shown to inhibit steroid production by rat corpora lutea in vivo and in vitro. These results raise the possibility that an ovarian GnRH-like peptide may be involved in normal luteal regression. We have examined binding of D-Ala6-des-Gly10-GnRH ethylamide (D-Ala) to rabbit corpora lutea, and have investigated the luteolytic activity of this analogue in hypophysectomized, pseudopregnant rabbits. Three hypophysectomized estrogen-treated rabbits were injected with 0.25 mg D-Ala s.c. every 6 h for 48 h during mid-pseudopregnancy, and three were injected with vehicle only. Treatment with D-Ala produced no acute changes in serum progesterone, nor was the time of luteal regression altered. Rabbit anterior pituitary tissue was found to contain high-affinity GnRH receptors (Ka = 7.0 X 10(9) M-1; 188.2 +/- 35.6 fmol/mg protein). However, no similar high-affinity GnRH receptors were detected in rabbit luteal tissue from any stage of pseudopregnancy. Some apparent low-affinity binding was observed, but this displaceable binding was subsequently observed in all control tissues tested. Thus, a potent GnRH analogue does not have any detectable direct effect on steroidogenesis in the rabbit corpus luteum, nor are high-affinity GnRH binding sites present in rabbit luteal tissue.