Systemic oxytocin induces a prolactin secretory rhythm via the pelvic nerve in ovariectomized rats.

Peripheral regulation of prolactin by oxytocin: focus on "Systemic oxytocin induces a prolactin secretory rhythm via the pelvic nerve in ovariectomized rats".

Editorial Focus: Peripheral regulation of prolactin by oxytocin: focus on “Systemic oxytocin induces a prolactin secretory rhythm via the pelvic nerve in ovariectomized rats”

THE HORMONES PROLACTIN (PRL) and oxytocin (OT) are functionally linked to regulate processes in and beyond reproduction. Both hormones are released into the circulation in response to orgasm, mating, nursing, stress, and osmotic stimulation to regulate reproductive behavior, pregnancy, lactation, stress-related responses, and fluid and electrolyte homeostasis (3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 13). Notably, PRL ...

Prolactin secretory rhythm of mated rats induced by a single injection of oxytocin.

Mating or vaginocervical stimulation [copulatory stimulus (CS)] induces two daily surges of the hormone prolactin (PRL) in rats. This unique secretory pattern of PRL surges is characteristic for the first half of pregnancy and is also present in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Studies have shown that CS additionally provokes an acute release of the hormone oxytocin (OT). In this study, we tested whe...

Oxytocin action at the lactotroph is required for prolactin surges in cervically stimulated ovariectomized rats.

Cervical stimulation induces two daily rhythmic prolactin surges, nocturnal and diurnal, which persist for several days. We have shown that a bolus injection of oxytocin initiates a similar prolactin rhythm, which persists despite low levels of oxytocin after injection. This suggests that oxytocin may trigger the cervical stimulation-induced rhythmic prolactin surges. To investigate this hypoth...

A tale of two rhythms: the emerging roles of oxytocin in rhythmic prolactin release.

Hormone secretion often occurs in a pulsatile manner. In this review, we discuss two rhythms of in vivo prolactin release in female rats and the ongoing research that we and others have performed aiming to understand the mechanisms underlying them. The peptide hormone oxytocin appears to play an important role in both rhythms. One rhythm occurs during the first half of pregnancy, but can also b...