Bovine neurophysin II has prolactin-releasing activity in the estradiol-primed male rat.

Abstract

In the course of the search for the prolactin-releasing factor (PRF), we noticed that the posterior pituitary contained strong PRF activity and subsequently traced this activity to that of bovine neurophysin-II (NP-II). NP-II prepared in our lab was judged to be a homogeneous preparation according to Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, DEAE ion exchange chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. While neurophysin-I (NP-I) injections of 100 micrograms/kg and 1,000 micrograms/kg elevated plasma prolactin in estradiol-primed male rats to 30% and 50% over the control value, respectively, NP-II doses of 100, 1,000 micrograms/kg increased plasma prolactin concentration in estradiol-primed male rats to 130% and 170% over the control value, respectively. The lowest dose of NP-II needed to increase plasma prolactin concentration was 10 micrograms/kg. Since neurophysin does not stimulate prolactin release from the ectopic pituitary under the kidney capsule nor from lactotrophs in a primary monolayer culture system, neurophysin is believed to act indirectly on the pituitary, presumably through a neurotransmitter and/or hypothalamic releasing (or inhibiting) factor. We propose that NP-II may be one element in the complex chain of the prolactin-releasing mechanism.