title: Evidence of a role for the turkey posterior pituitary in prolactin release.
abstract: The aims of this study were: (1) to examine whether the posterior pituitary contains prolactin releasing factor (PRF) activity, (2) to determine to what extent known neurohypophyseal peptides contribute to this activity, and (3) to compare posterior pituitary PRF activities of hens in different reproductive stages. Anterior pituitary cells derived from juvenile female turkeys were incubated with posterior pituitary extracts or test substances for 3 hr. Posterior pituitary extracts (0.1-0.8 equivalent) contained a potent substance(s) which stimulated PRL release in a concentration-dependent manner (2.4 +/- 0.08 to 6.5 +/- 0.23 micrograms/500 k cells). Arginine vasotocin (AVT) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) antisera (1:500) completely abolished the PRL-releasing activities of their respective peptides but partially reduced (P less than 0.05) the PRF activity of the posterior pituitary (AVT, 19.9%; VIP, 55.1%). Mesotocin antiserum did not alter (P greater than 0.05) PRL release induced by posterior pituitary extract. Posterior pituitary extract (0.01-0.5 equivalent) from hens in each of the various stages of the reproductive cycle induced a concentration dependent PRL release. The 0.5 posterior pituitary equivalent dose from reproductively quiescent (nonphotostimulated), laying, photorefractory, and incubating hens increased PRL release 2.4-, 2.9-, 3.8-, and 11.1-fold, respectively. The turkey posterior pituitary contains a potent PRF activity, partially accounted for by VIP and AVT, at the assayed concentrations, which varies with the reproductive cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: el Halawani
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Silsby
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Robinzon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D014422:Turkeys / Q000502:physiology*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D014668:Vasotocin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D011388:Prolactin; D014668:Vasotocin