# GnRH receptor (GNRHR)

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/gnrhr/  
OnCo record `gnrhr` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

The pituitary receptor that starts the hormone chain leading to testosterone and oestrogen. Agonists overstimulate it into silence and antagonists block it outright, the basis of medical castration in prostate cancer and ovarian suppression in breast cancer.

## Summary

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus binds GNRHR on pituitary gonadotroph cells to release LH and FSH, which drive testicular testosterone and ovarian oestrogen production. Continuous stimulation by agonists such as leuprolide and goserelin desensitises the receptor after an initial flare, while antagonists such as degarelix and the oral relugolix block it immediately. The result is castrate testosterone in prostate cancer, the backbone of androgen deprivation therapy, and ovarian function suppression in pre-menopausal breast cancer.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Symbol: GNRHR
- Class: other
- Biology: G protein-coupled receptor on pituitary gonadotrophs; agonist-induced desensitisation or antagonist blockade suppresses LH and FSH release.
- Where found: Prostate cancer (androgen deprivation); Pre-menopausal hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (ovarian suppression)

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonadotropin-releasing_hormone_receptor
- UniProt P30968: GNRHR: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P30968/entry

## Connected records

- cancers: [HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-hr-positive/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/)
- drugs: [Abarelix](https://onco.cc/drugs/abarelix/), [Buserelin](https://onco.cc/drugs/buserelin/), [Degarelix](https://onco.cc/drugs/degarelix/), [Goserelin / leuprolide (ovarian function suppression)](https://onco.cc/drugs/goserelin/), [Histrelin](https://onco.cc/drugs/histrelin/), [Leuprolide (leuprorelin) and GnRH agonists](https://onco.cc/drugs/leuprolide/)
- companies: [Tolmar](https://onco.cc/companies/tolmar/), [Verity Pharmaceuticals](https://onco.cc/companies/verity-pharma/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/gnrhr.json