Bromocriptine (2-bromo-a-ergocryptine) inhibited prolactin release when added to primary cultures of dispersed pituitary glands from male rats. The total amount of prolactin (intracellular plus extracellular) was reduced to less than 20% of control values after 6 days. The amount of intracellular prolactin was increased in treated cultures and the total amount of hormone was the same in control...

Serial plasma prolactin levels were measured following eighteen generalised seizures, ten partial seizures and eight pseudoseizures. Prolactin levels were elevated following generalised seizures, but were normal following the other seizure types. Plasma prolactin levels may, therefore, be helpful in differentiating between generalised and pseudoseizures. The optimal time for estimating the prol...

Serotonergic dysregulation is associated with negative affect. Plasma prolactin responses to a tryptophan enhancement challenge are used as a measure of central nervous system serotonergic activity. We examined prolactin responses to a tryptophan challenge as they relate to the personality domains of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Participants were 67...

Prolactin in man appears to form an essentialpart of the complex of hormones necessary for milk secretion and lactation. Levels of prolactin during pregnancy gradually increase towards term, and remain elevated for up to 6 weeks post partum. The lactogenic effects ofprolactin appear to be blocked at the mammary gland by the elevated levels of fetoplacental steroids secreted during pregnancy. Th...

To determine whether lactalbumin production by normal and neoplastic human mammary tissue is under the same control, the effect of prolactin treatment was studied in organ culture. Of 9 premenopausal normal breast samples, 6 produced lactalbumin in culture, and all 6 responded to prolactin treatment over 4 days. One biopsy of pregnant breast tested also responded to prolactin treatment, produci...

We examined the feasibility of high-level production of recombinant human prolactin, a multifunctional protein hormone, in insect cells using a baculovirus expression system. The human prolactin cDNA with and without the secretory signal sequence was cloned into pFastBac1 baculovirus vector under the control of polyhedrin promoter. Prolactin was produced upon infection of either Sf9 or High-Fiv...

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 cycl...

Atherosclerotic vascular disease is the consequence of a chronic inflammatory process, and prolactin has been shown to be a component of the inflammatory response. Additionally, recent studies indicate that prolactin contributes to an atherogenic phenotype. We hypothesized that this may be the result of a direct effect of prolactin on atherogenesis through activation of the prolactin receptor. ...

Prolactin is widely expressed in different tissues, and it is presumed to have both local and systemic actions. In males it is known to influence reproductive functions but the significance and mechanisms of prolactin action in male accessory reproductive tissues are poorly understood. Here we show that prolactin acts as a direct growth and differentiation factor for human prostate, as measured...

Plasma prolactin levels were determined for 8 patients (7 males and 1 female) who reported an average of 3.7 years of cocaine abuse. The mean prolactin level for these 8 patients 24 to 72 hours following admission to the hospital was 20.58 (S.E. ± 3.2) ng/ml. Hyperprolactinemia ( > 20 ng/ml) was detected in 4 patients and 3 others had high borderline prolactin levels. Only 1 patient had a norma...