Microinjection of synthetic GRF into the cerebroventricles or hypothalamus of the rat produces a number of neural effects, including the suppression of GH secretion, possibly representing a negative ultrashort loop autoregulation of GRF and/or stimulation of somatostatin neurosecretion. To demonstrate that such neuromodulation acts physiologically through endogenous GRF activity, the peptidic GRF antagonist (N-Ac-Tyr1,D-Arg2)GRF-(1-29)-NH2 was used to block the action of GRF on its presumed receptors in the hypothalamus. First, to establish the efficacy of the antagonist to block GRF receptors in the anterior pituitary, we injected the antagonist iv at doses of 2, 20, and 50 micrograms or saline (controls) into conscious male rats fitted with jugular cannulae. Sequential blood sampling every 15 min for 6 h between 1000-1600 h showed that 50 micrograms antagonist, iv, significantly suppressed the two periods of spontaneous release of radioimmunoassayable GH in controls in the morning and afternoon. A dose of 20 micrograms, iv, lowered mean plasma GH between 1400-1500 h (P less than 0.025), while the 2-microgram dose was without effect. The GRF antagonist was then microinjected into the third ventricle (3V) of conscious male rats at doses of 0.5 and 8.0 ng in 2 microliter sterile saline. The 8.0-ng dose of 3V antagonist elicited a 3-fold increase in the morning peak of GH (nanograms per ml): 3V antagonist, 159.0 +/- 62.0; 3V control, 51.0 +/- 21.9 (P less than 0.05). The 0.5-ng dose was without effect. Finally, we observed that pretreatment with the GRF antagonist 3V (10 ng), followed 15 min later by 10 ng rat GRF administered 3V, completely blocked the GRF-induced suppression of pulsatile GH release observed earlier. Both the systemic and central effects of the antagonist were specific to the control of GH, since PRL concentrations were unaltered. These results 1) have demonstrated the ability of a peptidic GRF antagonist to specifically suppress pulsatile GH release after its systemic administration, presumably by acting on pituitary GRF receptors, and 2) support the notion that GRF receptors are also present in the hypothalamus and are available for the physiological mediation of GRF-induced inhibition of GH release by a central mechanism.