The influence of sGnRH-A and antidopaminergic drug – pimozide – on prolactin mRNA synthesis in female Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio Bloch) in vivo

Effects of salmon gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (sGnRH-A) and antidopaminergic drug, pimozide, on the synthesis of prolactin mRNA in vivo in female Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio Bloch) during two different stages of the reproductive cycle were evaluated. The results showed that the lowest dose of sGnRH-A (5 μg/kg body weight) significantly stimulated the mRNA synthesis in fish during the recrudescence as well as during the preovulatory period, higher doses of this compound having no significant effect on prolactin mRNA synthesis. The blocker of dopamine receptors, pimozide, also potentiated prolactin mRNA synthesis – in recrudescent females it increased mRNA levels at the dose of 1 mg/kg, while in the preovulatory period all of the used pimozide doses (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) were responsible for the increase of prolactin mRNA levels. Taken together, the above results suggest that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is the factor responsible for the stimulation of prolactin synthesis, while dopamine has an inhibitory influence on the prolactin production.  

Monitoring of the Course of Sepsis in Hematooncological Patients by Extrapituitary Prolactin Expression in Peripheral Blood Monocytes

Our study explored the role of extrapituitary prolactin (PRL) and toll-like receptors (TLR)2 and TLR4 in defense reaction of immune system to bacterial infection. Forty-two patients diagnosed with sepsis were recruited and blood samples were withdrawn after patients’ admission to hospital, after the end of acute phase of sepsis and after the sepsis has been resolved, respectively. Seventeen patients died of sepsis; thus, only one sample collected just before death could be processed. PRL and TLR2/4 mRNA levels were measured in CD14+ blood monocytes by QPCR and PRL -1149 G/T SNP genotyped. The TLRs mRNA expression was markedly elevated in all patients groups in comparison to healthy controls mRNA levels; the highest upregulation of monocytic TLR2 in sepsis (16.4 times, P<0.0001) was detected in patients who did not survive septic complications. PRL mRNA expression in monocytes from non-survivors tended to be lower (4.5 fold decrease, P=NS) compared to control levels and it was 6.2 times reduced compared to PRL mRNA expression in second blood sample from survivors (P<0.05). The PRL -1149 G/T SNP had no effect on PRL mRNA response during sepsis. Our data suggest that increased prolactin mRNA expression in monocytes is associated with better outcome and improved survival rate in sepsis with no apparent effect of PRL -1149 G/T SNP on monocytic prolactin response.

Prolactin delays hair regrowth in mice

Mammalian hair growth is cyclic, with hair-producing follicles alternating between active (anagen) and quiescent (telogen) phases. The timing of hair cycles is advanced in prolactin receptor (PRLR) knockout mice, suggesting that prolactin has a role in regulating follicle cycling. In this study, the relationship between profiles of circulating prolactin and the first post-natal hair growth cycle was examined in female Balb/c mice. Prolactin was found to increase at 3 weeks of age, prior to the onset of anagen 1 week later. Expression of PRLR mRNA in skin increased fourfold during early anagen. This was followed by upregulation of prolactin mRNA, also expressed in the skin. Pharmacological suppression of pituitary prolactin advanced dorsal hair growth by 3.5 days. Normal hair cycling was restored by replacement with exogenous prolactin for 3 days. Increasing the duration of prolactin treatment further retarded entry into anagen. However, prolactin treatments, which began after follicles had entered anagen at 26 days of age, did not alter the subsequent progression of the hair cycle. Skin from PRLR-deficient mice grafted onto endocrine-normal hosts underwent more rapid hair cycling than comparable wild-type grafts, with reduced duration of the telogen phase. These experiments demonstrate that prolactin regulates the timing of hair growth cycles in mice via a direct effect on the skin, rather than solely via the modulation of other endocrine factors.