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The New England Journal of Medicine Apr 1971
Review
Topics: Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Feedback; Female; Growth Hormone; Humans; Hypothalamus; Lactation; Pituitary Gland; Pregnancy; Prolactin
PubMed: 4926708
DOI: 10.1056/NEJM197104082841407 -
Life Sciences Jul 2002Prolactin is a polypeptide hormone that is synthesized and secreted from specialised cells of the anterior pituitary gland, known as lactotrophs. The hormone was given... (Review)
Review
Prolactin is a polypeptide hormone that is synthesized and secreted from specialised cells of the anterior pituitary gland, known as lactotrophs. The hormone was given it's name because extracts from the bovine pituitary gland caused growth of the crop sac and stimulated the elaboration of crop milk in pigeons, and promoted lactation in rabbits. Although prolactin is best known for the multiple effects it exerts on the mammary gland, it has over 300 separate biological activities not represented by its name. It sub serves multiple roles in reproduction other than lactation and is an important modulator of homeostasis in the mammalian organism. Hence Bern and Nicoll suggested renaming it "omnipotin or versatilin". Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that affects approximately one percent of the population worldwide. It is well established that traditional typical anti-psychotics elevate prolactin levels. It is also agreed that the serum prolactin concentration is not elevated in patients with schizophrenia who are not receiving anti-psychotic medication. Hyperprolactinaemia has direct effects on the brain and on other organs. Direct consequences include galactorrhoea. Indirect consequences of hyperprolactinaemia include oligomenorrhoea and amenorrhoea, erratic or absent ovulation, sexual dysfunction, reduced bone mineral density and cardiovascular disease. With the advent of prolactin sparing anti-psychotics, ample consideration needs to be given to the physiological consequences of hyperprolactinaemia in schizophrenic patients. In this paper we will examine molecular biology, secretion and physiology of prolactin. The consequences of hyperprolactinaemia in humans including effects on fertility, sexual dysfunction, bone mineral density, cardiovascular disease, changes in psychopathology and movement disorders will be reviewed. The literature on the association between schizophrenia, anti-psychotic medication and hyperprolactinaemia and more specifically on the consequences of this hyperprolactinaemia in schizophrenic patients will also be reviewed.
Topics: Humans; Hyperprolactinemia; Prolactin; Schizophrenia
PubMed: 12088758
DOI: 10.1016/s0024-3205(02)01775-7 -
General and Comparative Endocrinology Sep 2009In this paper, we review the relationships that link avian parental behavior, stress (acute or chronic) and energetic constraints to the secretion of prolactin, the... (Review)
Review
In this paper, we review the relationships that link avian parental behavior, stress (acute or chronic) and energetic constraints to the secretion of prolactin, the 'parental hormone'. Prolactin secretion is stimulated by exposure of the parent to tactile and visual stimuli from the nest, the eggs or the chicks, while prolactin facilitates/stimulates the expression of parental behaviors, such as incubating, brooding or feeding. Because of this role of prolactin in the expression of parental behaviors, we suggest that absolute circulating prolactin levels may reflect to the extent to which individuals provide parental care (i.e., parental effort). Stressors and energetic constraints (acute or chronic) depress prolactin levels ('the prolactin stress response') and this may be adaptive because it may disrupt the current parental effort of an individual and promote its survival. Alternatively, an attenuation of the prolactin stress response can be considered as a hormonal tactic permitting the maintenance of parental care to the detriment of parental survival during stressful situations. Therefore, we suggest that the magnitude of the prolactin stress response may reflect parental investment. Finally, we detail the interaction that links corticosterone, prolactin and stress in bird parents. We suggest that corticosterone and prolactin may mediate different components of the stress response, and, therefore, we emphasize the importance of considering both hormones when investigating the hormonal basis of parental investment.
Topics: Animals; Birds; Maternal Behavior; Paternal Behavior; Prolactin; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 19351537
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.03.028 -
British Medical Journal Oct 1977
Topics: Bromocriptine; Female; Humans; Hypogonadism; Prolactin
PubMed: 922321
DOI: No ID Found -
International Immunopharmacology Jun 2001Estrogen and prolactin have a reciprocal endocrinologic relationship and both hormones have pleiotropic effects on the immune system. Despite the presence of a number of... (Review)
Review
Estrogen and prolactin have a reciprocal endocrinologic relationship and both hormones have pleiotropic effects on the immune system. Despite the presence of a number of confounding variables, these hormones modulate autoimmunity; however, mechanisms by which this modulation occurs remain obscure. Estrogen appears to suppress cell-mediated and augment humoral-based immunity. Prolactin appears to stimulate both cell and humoral-based immunity. Both hormones have been shown to modulate IFN gamma secretion. Similar evidence in experimental models, human autoimmune disease, and during pregnancy in autoimmune disease patients suggests disparate effects of estrogen and prolactin on autoimmune responses and disease pathogenesis. In the NZB x NZW F1 mouse model of lupus, prolactin accelerates disease expression, whereas estrogen, devoid of its prolactin stimulating properties, is immunosuppressive and inhibits IL-2 production. Estrogen, because of its endocrinologic and immune effects, may directly or indirectly stimulate or inhibit immune responses. These dichotomous effects have limited its successful pharmacologic manipulation in human autoimmune disease with estrogen compounds, tamoxifen, oral contraceptives, antigonadotropic agents, or ovulation induction regimens. In contrast, reduction of immunostimulatory concentrations of prolactin with bromocriptine has successfully suppressed development or expression of murine and human autoimmune disease. Further investigation into actions and interactions of estrogen and prolactin with autoimmunity will provide a better understanding of the female preponderance of autoimmunity and facilitate a more rational approach to hormonal immunotherapy.
Topics: Animals; Autoimmunity; Estrogens; Female; Humans; Male; Prolactin
PubMed: 11407318
DOI: 10.1016/s1567-5769(01)00045-5 -
Current Opinion in Investigational... Apr 2005Efforts have been focused on the development of prolactin receptor (PRLR) antagonists, which, it is hoped, will be useful therapeutics for breast, prostate and possibly... (Review)
Review
Efforts have been focused on the development of prolactin receptor (PRLR) antagonists, which, it is hoped, will be useful therapeutics for breast, prostate and possibly other cancers. Several approaches have been undertaken, including the production of pure antagonists and the combination of a PRLR antagonist with other antitumor molecules to increase efficacy. An alternative approach has been the development of a mimic of the natural PRL growth antagonist. This molecule is a combined antagonist/agonist since it inhibits signaling leading to growth, but promotes signaling leading to cell-cycle control, differentiation and apoptosis.
Topics: Humans; Prolactin; Receptors, Prolactin
PubMed: 15898345
DOI: No ID Found -
Biology of Reproduction Feb 1998
Review
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal; Prolactin; Uterus
PubMed: 9475377
DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod58.2.273 -
Biological Research For Nursing Jul 1999Prolactin is one of two major hormones involved in lactation. While the role of infant suckling and oxytocin in the lactation process are well understood, the role of... (Review)
Review
Prolactin is one of two major hormones involved in lactation. While the role of infant suckling and oxytocin in the lactation process are well understood, the role of prolactin is less clear. A variety of factors related to prolactin have been investigated, and these are used as an organizing framework for this article. Factors include pregnancy, lactation, nursing frequency, prior lactation experience, milk production, and pharmacologic agents. The literature, while substantial in amount, presents inconsistencies. Implications for practice are discussed.
Topics: Breast Feeding; Female; Humans; Lactation; Pregnancy; Prolactin; Sucking Behavior; Suction; Time Factors
PubMed: 11225299
DOI: 10.1177/109980049900100109 -
Horumon To Rinsho. Clinical... Jul 1968
Review
Topics: Animals; Biological Assay; Columbidae; Crop, Avian; Methods; Phosphorus Isotopes; Prolactin; Radioimmunoassay
PubMed: 4882087
DOI: No ID Found -
Biologie Aujourd'hui 2022Prolactin (PRL) is a polypeptide hormone that is mainly synthesized and secreted by lactotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland. The actions of prolactin are...
Prolactin (PRL) is a polypeptide hormone that is mainly synthesized and secreted by lactotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland. The actions of prolactin are mediated by its transmembrane receptor, PRLR. The principal role attributed to PRL is to stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of the mammary cells required for lactation, but studies of animal models have assigned more than 300 separate actions to this hormone in various species. Hyperprolactinaemia is the prototypical pathological state associated with this hormone. Indeed, hyperprolactinaemia is the most common cause of amenorrhoea due to hypogonadotropic anovulation and is one of the most prevalent endocrine causes of infertility in women. In recent years, the study of conditional or complete Prlr mouse models had improved the understanding concerning the regulation of gonadotroph and lactotroph axes. It is now demonstrated that prolactin exerts autocrine or paracrine actions on lactotroph cells in vivo. One of the major advances was to better understand, using mouse models, the impact of hyperprolactinemia on gonadotroph axis. It is now accepted that hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in patients with hyperprolactinemia is mediated by a decrease of hypothalamic kisspeptin secretion. Gonadotroph axis can be restored by intravenous administration of kisspeptin. However, the mechanisms of lactotroph tumorigenesis in Prlr animals remain incompletely understood and transposable to the human species, since the only patient with biallelic PRLR loss-of-function mutation leading to complete prolactin resistance that has been described so far did not have pituitary adenoma visible on MRI.
Topics: Animals; Female; Humans; Mice; Hyperprolactinemia; Kisspeptins; Models, Animal; Prolactin; Receptors, Prolactin
PubMed: 36744975
DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2022019