To begin to examine inhibin as a male contraceptive, recombinant human (rh) inhibin-A was administered for 3 days via osmotic minipumps to male rats. Doses of inhibin of 0-150 mg/kg per day did not produce a concentration-dependent suppression of FSH secretion or pituitary FSH beta mRNA levels in adult rats. Treatment of immature rats at a dose of 145 micrograms/kg per day, which was without effect in adults, reduced plasma FSH levels by 49% (p < 0.01), and FSH beta mRNA levels to 47 +/- 11% of control (p < 0.01). Inhibin also decreased levels of LH beta mRNA (63 +/- 8% of control; p < 0.01), alpha-subunit mRNA (86 +/- 10% of control; p < 0.05), and GnRH-receptor mRNA (77 +/- 17% of control; p <0.01) in immature rats. Rh inhibin-A was more effective in immature than in adult animals; plasma inhibin levels were increased (p = 0.03) by rh inhibin-A treatment only in immature rats. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that the weight-adjusted clearance was greater (p < 0.01), and the elimination half-life of rh inhibin A was shorter (p < 0.01) in adult than in juvenile rats. These data indicate that partial suppression of FSH beta mRNA inhibin is associated with a decline in GnRH receptor gene expression, suggesting that the notion that inhibin can act as a male contraceptive through selective and complete inhibition of FSH production, without effect on LH and Leydig cell function, may be mistaken. In addition, increased inhibin clearance appears to contribute to the fall in plasma inhibin levels with maturation in the male rat.