The influence of blinding, olfactory bulbectomy, and pinealectomy on twenty four-hour plasma prolactin levels in normal and neonatally androgenized female rats

Melatonin reduces the production and secretion of prolactin and growth hormone from rat pituitary cells in culture

A culture of clonal tumour cells from rat pituitary gland that secrete both prolactin and growth hormone were used to investigate whether the pineal hormone melatonin can act directly on the pituitary gland to control prolactin production. Melatonin inhibition of prolactin and growth hormone production was significant but mild. Concentrations of between 10(-8) M and 10(-6) M reduced both prolactin and growth hormone production and prolactin secretion by 10-50%. 17 beta-oestradiol (OE) and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulated prolactin production but had no significant effect on growth hormone production. Melatonin reduced the effects of both of these compounds. Both TRH and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) stimulated secretion of prolactin, and TRH also of growth hormone. Melatonin reduced these effects significantly. TRH and VIP increased cAMP production two- and 12-fold, respectively. Melatonin had no effect on basal or stimulated cAMP production. The melatonin-induced changes in prolactin and growth hormone production and secretion seen here do not approach the magnitude of the fluctuations seen in plasma in vivo. It is concluded that while melatonin does have a direct effect on the lactotroph in the regulation of prolactin production, its main physiological target must be elsewhere.

Alterations in the prolactin secretion in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Correlation with pituitary and hypothalamus estradiol receptors

The present study examined the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on prolactin (Prl) secretion and its correlation with estrogen receptor levels in the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus. Prl was measured in adult ovariectomized rats and after estradiol treatment (10 micrograms estradiol benzoate (Eb) 48, 24 and 1 h before experiments) or acute TRH administration (4 micrograms/kg body weight). Substantial decreases in estradiol- and TRH-induced Prl release were observed in diabetic rats. Insulin therapy was able to restore this response. Measurement of nuclear estradiol receptors by exchange assay in the pituitary of Eb-treated rats revealed a significant reduction in receptor levels in the diabetic group and a restoration to normal values in insulin-treated diabetic rats. Similar results were obtained by measuring total pituitary receptor content (cytosolic plus nuclear receptors). No significant changes were observed in nuclear hypothalamic estradiol receptors. However, the number of total hypothalamic estradiol receptors was diminished in diabetic rats although the translocation was proportionally greater in these animals. These results indicate that the disrupted reproductive functions described in streptozotocin diabetic rats may be due, at least in part, to deficiencies in Prl secretion and pituitary estradiol action.

The influence of blinding, olfactory bulbectomy and pinealectomy on plasma and anterior pituitary prolactin levels and on uterine and anterior pituitary weights in normal and neonatally androgenized rats

Lactating Sprague-Dawley rats had their litters adjusted to 8-10 pups on day 3 of lactation favoring females and some litters were injected with 1.25 mg of testosterone propionate to neonatally androgenize (NA) them. At 22-25 days of age both normal and NA animals were ovariectomized (OVX) and subjected to either sham olfactory bulbectomy (ANOS) + sham pinealectomy (PX), blinding (BLD) + ANOS or BLD + ANOS + pinealectomy (PX). At 13 weeks of age all animals were injected with 0.5 mg of polyestradiol phosphate. At 15 weeks of age the animals were fitted with atrial catheters and at 16 weeks of age blood samples (0.3 ml) were obtained every 3 hours over a 24 hour period. Uterine and anterior pituitary (AP) weights were recorded at sacrifice. Plasma and AP were assayed for prolactin (PRL) by RIA and AP were also assayed for PRL using the Nb2 lymphoma cell PRL bioassay. In both normal and NA animals, BLD + ANOS suppressed plasma PRL levels and PX partially prevented this response. Uterine weights were similar among groups while AP weights were significantly lower for sensory deprived animals. Anterior pituitaries extracted at pH 7.6 had a PRL concentration that was higher for the BLD + ANOS groups when estimated by either RIA or BA, a result that was not observed when the AP were extracted at pH 10.6. The amount of PRL extracted at pH 10.6 was twice that obtained at pH 7.6. Sensory deprived animals that were OVX prepubertally and administered estrogen as adults had a small but significant increase in mean plasma prolactin at 1700 hr. Both normal and NA animals responded in a similar manner to experimental manipulation.