Changes in prolactin secretion in the short- and long-term after adrenalectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the modulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) on prolactin secretion in rats after adrenalectomy (ADX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma corticosterone, ACTH, and prolactin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in rats after bilateral ADX in the short- (3 hours and 1day) and long-term (3, 7, and 14 days). RESULTS: Animals that underwent ADX showed undetectable corticosterone levels and a triphasic ACTH response with a transient increase (3h), a decrease (1d), and further increase in the long-term after ADX. Sham animals showed a marked increase in corticosterone and ACTH levels three hours after surgery, with a decrease to basal levels thereafter. Plasma prolactin levels were not changed after ADX. CONCLUSION: There are different points of equilibrium in the HPA axis after the glucocorticoid negative feedback is removed. Prolactin plasma secretion is not altered in the short or long- term after ADX, suggesting that the peptidergic neurons essential for prolactin release are not activated after ADX.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Laguna-Abreu,Maria Thereza C., Germano,Carla, Moreira,Ayrton C., Antunes-Rodrigues,José, Elias,Lucila, Castro,Margaret
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Endocrinologia e Metabologia 2012
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-27302012000400005
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