title: Immunologic and hematopoietic effects of recombinant human prolactin after syngeneic bone marrow transplantation in mice.
abstract: The period of immune deficiency following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) results in a susceptibility to opportunistic infections and remains a growing obstacle in improving the efficacy of BMT. Neuroendocrine hormones have been shown to affect numerous immunologic and hematologic responses after in vivo administration. We investigated whether neuroendocrine hormones, notably prolactin (PRL), could be administered after BMT and result in improved immunologic recovery. Mice were given lethal total body irradiation followed with a congeneic or a syngeneic BMT. Some groups then received recombinant human PRL (rhPRL) daily for 3 weeks. Effects on immune reconstitution and function were then monitored. The results show that PRL could increase thymic cellularity and donor T-cell reconstitution after congeneic BMT. Increases in B cells and myeloid progenitors were also observed. Mitogenic responses by both T and B cells were observed after PRL treatment. These results suggest that PRL may be of use to promote immune and myeloid reconstitution after BMT.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Sciences and Technology of China, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ruth A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gault
authors.forename: Lisbeth A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Welniak
authors.forename: Zhigang G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006133:Growth Substances; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011388:Prolactin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011388:Prolactin