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Publications (8)2.12 Total impact

  • Article: Prolactin-provoked alterations of cytosolic, membrane, and nuclear protein kinase C following partial hepatectomy
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    ABSTRACT: The adenohypophyseal polypeptide hormone prolactin is a potent liver mitogen, stimulating cell cycle progression, an effect that appears coupled to increasing protein kinase C activity in membrane and nuclear fractions. Here, we examine whether hepatocyte proliferation, stimulated by partial hepatectomy, is associated with altered serum prolactin or protein kinase C activation. Within 5–15 min of liver resection, serum prolactin concentrations elevate significantly. Protein kinase C activity in hepatic cytosol decreases significantly, and membrane and nuclear PKC activity increase by 30 min. Hypophysectomy prior to partial hepatectomy abrogates any effect of liver resection on protein kinase C activation in the hepatic remnant. Based upon these data, it is suggested that the rapid increase in serum prolactin seen after partial hepatectomy may be linked to protein kinase C activation, which in turn stimulates the hepatic proliferative response that is essential for hepatic regeneration.
    Digestive Diseases and Sciences 01/1991; 36(9):1313-1319. · 2.12 Impact Factor
  • Article: Rapid elevation of plasminogen activator activity in rat tissues by prolactin
    Arthur R. Buckley, Charles W. Putnam, Diane H. Russell
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    ABSTRACT: Administration of ovine porlactin resulted in a rapid and significant induction of plasminogen activator activity within two hours in the rat adrenal gland, heart, aorta and liver. Prolactin exposure reduced baseline proteolytic activity in lung and skeletal muscle at 6–8 hours following hormonal challenge. This was coincident with a return toward baseline levels in enzyme activity demonstrated in other tissues. Pretreatment with actinomycin D or cycloheximide ameliorated the enzymic induction in the liver and adrenal and partially inhibited the aortic response. These data suggest that prolactin exposure leads to increased proteolytic activity through biosynthesis in a variety of solid organs. In addition, pro-enzyme activation may also occur in vascular tissue.
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
  • Article: Prolactin is a tumor promoter in rat liver
    Arthur R. Buckley, Charles W. Putnam, Diane H. Russell
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    ABSTRACT: Since prolactin, like the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, induces ornithine decarboxylase and plasminogen activator activities, biochemical markers of a trophic response, this hormone might likewise promote neoplasia. To test this theory, rats were initiated with a hepatocarcinogen followed by six weeks of ovine prolactin. This regimen caused hepatomegaly and the development of enzyme-altered foci. Promotion with prolactin for 23 weeks further increased the numbers of enzyme-altered foci. We suggest that prolactin is an endogenous tumor promoter for chemically initiated cells.
    Life Sciences.
  • Article: Prolactin administration stimulates rat hepatic DNA synthesis
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    ABSTRACT: Prolactin is an important growth modulatory hormone in fetal and adult tissues. Its administration stimulates enzymatic markers of the G1 phase of cell cycle in rat liver and other tissues. To determine the effects of prolactin administration on hepatic DNA synthesis (S phase), rats received prolactin at 12 hour intervals for 48 hours and DNA synthesis was assessed by [3h]-thymidine incorporation. Prolactin administration stimulated DNA synthesis 2-4 fold above controls in the livers of adult and weanling animals. Increased incorporation of radiolabel was associated with the nucleus of hepatoparenchymal cells. These data support the hypothesis that prolactin may be a physiological regulator of hepatic DNA synthesis. Further, since stress stimulates prolactin secretion, we suggest that prolactin may participate in the hepatic compensatory hyperplasia elicited by the stress associated with partial hepatectomy.
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.
  • Article: Prolactin stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase and mitogenesis in Nb2 node lymphoma cells: The role of protein kinase C and calcium mobilization
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    ABSTRACT: The tumor promotor 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in combination with calcium ionophores has been shown to bypass the requisite antigen- or lectin-induced signal for lymphocyte mitogenesis. This suggests that protein kinase C activation and calcium mobilization may be early events required for lymphocyte proliferation. Therefore, the relationship(s) of protein kinase C activation and calcium mobilization to ornithine decarboxylase induction and cellular proliferation were examined in a rat node lymphoma cell line (Nb2) which is dependent upon prolactin (PRL) for mitogenesis. TPA enhanced PRL-stimulated Nb2 node lymphoma cell ornithine decarboxylase induction and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Addition of a calcium ionophore (A23187) to cultures containing TPA plus PRL increased ornithine decarboxylase above PRL alone or PRL plus TPA but inhibited proliferation compared to the PRL plus TPA regimen. Exposure of cells to TPA or TPA plus A23187 increased [3H]thymidine incorporation in a similar manner to that demonstrated for low-dose PRL. However, optimal concentrations were only 20–25% as effective as mitogens as was optimal PRL. Protein kinase C and calmodulin antagonists inhibited PRL-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase induction and proliferation. Ca2+ chelation or cation channel antagonism inhibited both PRL-stimulated responses. The cyclic AMP analogue, 8Br-cAMP, inhibited PRL-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity as well as cellular proliferation process assessed by [3H]thymidine incroporation. Finally, tumor-promoting phorbol esters inhibited 125I-rPRL binding. These data strongly suggest that protein kinase C activation and calcium mobilization are requisite events for PRL-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase induction and cellular proliferation in Nb2 node lymphoma cells. An additional component that is linked to alterations in K+ channeling is also implicated. These data support a role for protein kinase C in PRL-coupled mitogenesis. However, other critical Ca2+ and/or ion-induced events are also required.
    Immunopharmacology.
  • Article: Hepatic protein kinase C: Translocation stimulated by prolactin and partial hepatectomy
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    ABSTRACT: Prolactin stimulates a hepatotrophic response similar to that caused by phorbol esters or partial hepatectomy in rats. Since phorbol esters, which activate protein kinase C, mimic prolactin action in liver, the relationship between prolactin administration and subsequent hepatic protein kinase C translocation was assessed. Prolactin administration rapidly stimulated a 4-fold elevation of membrane protein kinase C activity. The effect of prolactin on hepatic protein kinase C was specific for lactogenic hormones but could be duplicated by phorbol esters. Further, an increase in serum prolactin was demonstrated subsequent to partial hepatectomy and preceding hepatic protein kinase C translocation. Therefore, translocation of hepatic protein kinase C appears important for hepatic proliferation in response to prolactin administration and to partial hepatectomy.
    Life Sciences.
  • Article: Identification of prolactin receptors in hepatic nuclei
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    ABSTRACT: Prolactin is a trophic hormone which may act directly at the hepatocyte nucleus. In this study, specific prolactin binding sites were sought in purified rat liver nuclei. Saturable and specific, high affinity 125I-prolactin binding sites were demonstrated to be on or within the nucleus. Prolactin binding was competitively inhibited by rat and ovine prolactins but not by rat growth hormone. Using immunogold electron microscopy, we detected prolactin receptors throughout the nucleus, in association with heterochromatin. Furthermore, endogenous immunoreactive prolactin was demonstrated to be within hepatic nuclei. We conclude that rat liver nuclei possess prolactin binding sites which likely participate in hormone-directed growth processes.
    Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.
  • Article: Prolactin as a mammalian mitogen and tumor promoter
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    ABSTRACT: Cellular proliferation and differentiation of the mammalian mammary gland requires a medley of hormones including the anterior pituitary hormone, PRL. Recent evidence extends the role of PRL as a mammalian mitogen to cells in several physiological systems not directly involved in reproductive functions, such as liver and lymphocytes. PRL administration induces biochemical markers expressed during the G1 phase of cell cycle and activates DNA synthesis in rat liver. Chronic PRL treatment causes hepatomegaly, reflecting its stimulation of the proliferative process. In vitro, a lactogen-dependent cell line, the Nb2 rat node lymphoma cell, serves as a useful paradigm to study PRL action on mitogenesis. These cells, when cultured in the presence of lactogens, proliferate in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of various pharmacological agents on discrete phases of the cell cycle may be readily assessed in these cells since PRL-stimulated entry into cycle is signalled by an elevation of ODC activity at 6 hr and entry into S-phase at 6–12 hr.The parallel effects of phorbol ester tumor promoters and PRL on cell cycle progression in Nb2 lymphoma cells and in hepatic proliferation suggest that PRL may likewise mediate proliferation in aberrant growth conditions such as neoplasia. The data presented support the hypothesis that PRL is capable of promoting hepatocarcinogenesis. Its chronic administration after a hepatic initiating agent stimulated the development of histochemical and biochemical markers characteristic of preneoplasia. Further, the effect of PRL was comparable to that of the hepatocarcinogen when either was administered alone. Thus, hyperprolactinemia may serve to promote the development of hepatic tumors.Phorbol esters are thought to promote tumorigenesis by directly activating PKC. In the Nb2 lymphoma cell model, tumor promoting phorbol esters mimic the effects of PRL. Similarily, PRL-stimulated enzyme induction in liver is mirrored by phorbol ester treatment, and inhibitors of PKC block PRL-stimulated mitogenesis in Nb2 cells. Further, PRL or TPA administration to rats causes translocation of PKC activity from the hepatic cytosol to the membrane fraction, reflecting kinase activation. Therefore, PRL activation of PKC appears to be a physiological phenomenon of general significance, occurring as the result of lactogen receptor stimulation and serving to transmit intracellular signals linked to the regulation of mitogenesis. Further study is required to more fully define the scope of PRL-mediated mitogenic actions as well as its effects on the expression of differentiated products in tissues and cells.
    Advances in Enzyme Regulation.