Expression of prolactin receptor mRNA is increased in the preoptic area of lactating rats.
This study investigated expression of prolactin receptor (PRL-R) mRNA in the preoptic area in midlactating rats compared with diestrous rats. Tissues from specific nuclei were micropunched from 300-microm thick rat brain sections with 300- or 500-microm diameter needles. After total RNA was extracted, the two forms of PRL-R mRNA were evaluated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization. The results showed that levels of long-form PRL-R mRNA in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus and lateroanterior nucleus in lactating rats were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in diestrous rats. The ventromedial and medial preoptic nuclei in lactating rats also expressed moderately high levels of long-form mRNA when compared with (p = 0.0547) diestrous rats. The ventromedial and ventrolateral preoptic nuclei, and ventrolateral hypothalamic nucleus in lactating rats expressed significantly higher levels of short-form mRNA than in diestrous rats. The increased expression of both forms of PRL-R mRNA helps explain numerous effects of PRL on brain functions during lactation.
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Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, School of Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Grattan
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D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017931:DNA Primers; D004031:Diestrus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011981:Receptors, Prolactin