We examined the expression of dual specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation and investigated the role of DUSP1 on gonadotropin gene expression using LbetaT2 gonadotroph cell line. DUSP1 expression was markedly increased 60 min after GnRH stimulation, and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/1 (MAPK3/1) activation was gradually decreased after 60 min. GnRH-induced MAPK3/1 activation was completely inhibited by U0126, a MEK inhibitor, whereas GnRH-induced DUSP1 expression was partially inhibited by U0126. GnRH-induced DUSP1 induction was inhibited by triptolide, a diterpenoid triepoxide. In contrast, this compound potentiated MAPK3/1 activation. U0126 prevented GnRH-stimulated gonadotropin subunit promoter activation dose dependently, and 10 muM of U0126 reduced the effects of GnRH on the Lhb and Fshb promoters to 79.15% and 55.66%, respectively. GnRH-stimulated activation of Lhb and Fshb promoters as well as serum response factor (Srf) promoters were almost completely inhibited by triptolide, suggesting that this component had a nonspecific effect to the cells. Dusp1 siRNA reduced the expression of DUSP1 and augmented MAPK3/1 phosphorylation, but it did not increase of gonadotropin promoters. By overexpression of DUSP1, both GnRH-stimulated Lhb and Fshb promoters were significantly reduced. We have previously shown that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) increases MAPK3/1 but does not activate gonadotropin subunit promoters. IGF1 failed to induce DUSP1 expression. In addition, under pulsatile GnRH stimulation, DUSP1 expression was observed following high-frequency GnRH pulses but not following low-frequency pulses. Our study demonstrated that DUSP1, induced by GnRH, functions not only as an MAPK3/1-inactivating phosphatase but also as an important mediator in gonadotropin subunit gene expression regulation.