Influence of drugs affecting prolactin secretion on some sexually differentiated hepatic and renal enzyme activities of steroid hormone metabolism in the rat.
The effects of drugs known to modify hypophyseal release of prolactin [perphenazine, reserpine, DOPA, 2-bromo-alpha-ergocryptine-mesasilate (CB 154)] were tested on sexually differentiated enzymes of hepatic (microsomal 3 alpha- and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 5 alpha-reductase) and renal (cytoplasmic 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) steroid metabolism whose activities had previously been shown to be influenced by prolactin administration to hypophysectomized rats. None of the drugs affected the renal enzyme activity. Reserpine caused a feminization of all three hepatic activities, whereas perphenazine only affected 5 alpha-reductase. Such changes are in accordance with the hypothesis that prolactin acts as a "feminizing factor" for these activities. However, the two drugs known to decrease prolactin secretion (DOPA, CB 154) also caused some feminization. Based on changes in seminal vesicle weight, this effect of DOPA might be due to alterations in the peripheral androgen concentration.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012737:Sex Factors; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*
D006728:Hormones; D013256:Steroids; D011388:Prolactin; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases