Permissive role of corticotropin-releasing factor in the acute stress-induced prolactin release in female rats.
The present study examined the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the acute stress-induced release of prolactin (PRL) in ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats. Acute immobilization stress induced a marked increase in serum PRL levels in animals treated with saline intraventricularly (i.c.v.). However, a prior icv injection of alpha-helical CRF(9-41), a CRF antagonist, completely eliminated the immobilization-induced PRL release in the majority of animals, providing evidence for involvement of CRF in the acute stress-induced PRL release. On the other hand, an i.c.v. injection of CRF did not affect basal PRL release at any dose in non-stressed animals, suggesting that the peptide plays a permissive role which enables other undefined stress mediator(s) to stimulate PRL release.
Akema
T
T
Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
Chiba
A
A
Oshida
M
M
Kimura
F
F
Toyoda
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007103:Immobilization; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*
D004967:Estrogens; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011388:Prolactin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; C045089:corticotropin releasing hormone (9-41)