Atrial natriuretic hormone, vessel dilator, long acting natriuretic hormone, and kaliuretic hormone decrease circulating prolactin concentrations.

The present investigation was designed to test whether four cardiac hormones--long acting natriuretic hormone, vessel dilator, kaliuretic hormone and atrial natriuretic hormone--decrease the circulating concentration of prolactin in humans (n = 30). Vessel dilator, kaliuretic hormone, long acting natriuretic hormone and atrial natriuretic hormone decreased the circulating concentration of prolactin to 3 %, 31 %, 27 %, and 23 % of control values, respectively, at the end of their infusions when infused at concentrations of 100 ng/kg body weight per minute for 60 minutes (p < 0.001 for each). Vessel dilator, kaliuretic hormone, long acting natriuretic hormone and atrial natriuretic hormone had sustained effects on modulating prolactin's concentrations, with circulating concentrations of 1 %, 64 %, 28 %, and 2 % of control values (p < 0.001) 3 hours after stopping their respective infusions. These results suggest that there are four circulating prolactin-inhibitory hormones in addition to the hypothalamic mediators, dopamine and corticotropin-releasing hormone, which modulate prolactin release. These peptide hormones' ability to decrease circulating prolactin concentrations may be mediated in part by dopamine and in part by their demonstrated ability to decrease corticotropin-releasing hormone concentrations, which stimulate prolactin release.

Duke Scholars

Author Douglas David Schocken Medicine, Cardiology