Suckling-induced serum prolactin levels are modified by interference with milk ejection in lactating rats.
The aim of this study was to determine whether suckling-induced prolactin (PRL) levels were modified when milk ejection was impaired. Milk ejection impairment was achieved in two experimental models: a) depriving the dam of sleep during suckling and b) increasing the nonsuckling intervals in lactating dams. Sleep deprivation blocked milk ejection and enhanced suckling-induced PRL levels in dams that had been previously separated from their pups. When milk ejection is blocked in litter-deprived dams, mammary glands are not evacuated and they remain engorged. Suckling stimuli were not the cause of the difference in suckling-induced serum PRL levels in control and sleep-deprived dams. The engorgement of the mammary glands may play a role, as a maximum suckling-induced PRL increase was not observed in nonseparated SD dams with nonengorged mammary glands. Moreover, suckling-induced PRL levels were decreased when engorged mammary glands of SD dams were evacuated through an oxytocin injection. A parallel increase between suckling-induced PRL levels and mammary gland weight was observed in the experiments in which milk ejection was impaired through an increase in the intervals of nonsuckling, providing additional support for a relationship between mammary gland engorgement and the regulation of suckling-induced PRL levels.[1]References
- Suckling-induced serum prolactin levels are modified by interference with milk ejection in lactating rats. Voloschin, L.M., Gallardo, M.G., Tramezzani, J.H. Biol. Reprod. (1998) [Pubmed]
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