Effects of adrenalectomy and-or deficiency of pituitary prolactin secretion on initiation and maintenance of lactation in mice.

Abstract

SUMMARY In order to examine the effects of deficiency of adrenal corticosteroids and/or prolactin on the initiation and maintenance of lactation in mice, C3H/He female mice were adrenalectomized and/or implanted during days 13–15 of pregnancy with a pellet of 2-bromo-α-ergocryptine (EC), a potent inhibitor of pituitary prolactin secretion. Average body weights of the young and mammary contents of DNA and RNA were determined on days 0 (day of parturition) and 10 of lactation. On day 0, no differences in these parameters were found among groups, and plenty of milk was present in the stomachs of the young. Furthermore, the treatments did not affect the duration of pregnancy, the number of still-born young or the maternal behaviour at parturition. All young in the group adrenalectomized and implanted with EC died by day 2. Adrenalectomy or implantation of EC retarded the growth of young after day 2 and decreased markedly the mammary nucleic acid content on day 10. These results strongly suggest that adrenal corticosteroids and prolactin play minor roles in the initiation of lactation at parturition, while they are indispensable for the maintenance of lactation in mice.