title: Prolactin induces enhanced interferon gamma release in peripheral whole blood after stimulation with either PHA or LPS.
abstract: A number of recent studies have demonstrated the importance of prolactin as a key mediator in immune-neuroendocrine communication. Using a whole blood assay and various concentrations of prolactin, we stimulated cell cultures with either the plant lectin PHA or the endotoxin LPS, a widespread agent in common infectious diseases. Studying 15 healthy blood donors we found that human recombinant prolactin, at concentrations from 5 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml, significantly amplified IFN-gamma yields after stimulation with either PHA or LPS. PHA-stimulated cultures revealed a significant dose-dependent enhancement of IFN-gamma release. Our results indicate that prolactin can upregulate IFN-gamma secretion from immune cells in whole blood cell cultures in response to both PHA or LPS. Since IFN-gamma is suspected to play a key role in the cytokine cascade, amplifying the toxic effect of other pro-inflammatory cytokines and ultimately leading to augmented inflammatory tissue damage, our findings point to a modulatory role of prolactin in infection. Special interest should therefore be directed towards any naturally occurring hyperprolactinemia, caused for instance by stress, a number of drugs, and some chronic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Lübeck School of Medicine, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Breidthardt
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frohn
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luhm
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirchner
authors.forename: Jörg-Matthias
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011388:Prolactin