title: Centrally administered choline increases plasma prolactin levels in conscious rats.
abstract: Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of choline, a precursor of acetylcholine (ACh) increased plasma prolactin levels in a time and dose-dependent manner in conscious rats. Pretreatment of rats with the cholinergic muscarinic antagonist, atropine (10 microg, i.c.v.), blocked the increase in plasma prolactin level. The increase was not influenced by pretreatment with the cholinergic nicotinic antagonist, mecamylamine (50 microg, i.c.v.). Pretreatment with hemicholinium-3 (HC-3; 20 microg, i.c.v.), a high affinity choline uptake inhibitor, attenuated the choline-induced increase of plasma prolactin levels. These results show that choline increases plasma prolactin levels by activating muscarinic receptors via presynaptic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Uludag University Medical Faculty, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gürün
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savci
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Ulus
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kiran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006426:Hemicholinium 3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D006426:Hemicholinium 3; D008464:Mecamylamine; D001285:Atropine; D011388:Prolactin; D002794:Choline