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Query: UNIPROT:P01178 (oxytocin)
 15,767 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate endocrine, lactational, and reproductive features of an experimental animal model employing complete neural disconnection of the udder in beef cows and then to utilize the validated model to study the role of mammary somatosensory pathways in suckling-mediated anovulation. For experiment 1, crossbred beef cows (n = 16) were randomly assigned to suckled/sham-operated control, weaned (calf removed)/sham-operated control, and suckled/mammary-denervated groups between Days 14 and 18 postcalving. Ten additional cows were randomly divided into weaned or suckled unoperated control groups (experiment 2). Complete mammary anesthesia was attained in all denervated cows (experiment 1), but sensory perception was not affected in sham-operated controls. Prolactin release patterns were markedly depressed by denervation; however, oxytocin release, milk production, and calf growth rates were not affected. Although acute sham surgery attenuated weaning-induced increases in LH pulse and ovulation frequency (experiment 1), normal responses to weaning were observed in unoperated controls (experiment 2) as well as in sham-operated cows 1 yr later (experiment 3). Finally, denervated-suckled cows (n = 22) that had been denervated before conception (experiment 4) exhibited LH secretion patterns and mean postpartum intervals to luteal activity similar to those of intact-suckled cows (n = 16). In contrast, the intact-weaned group (n = 16; calves weaned at birth) responded within 2 wk postcalving with an increased frequency of LH pulses, and intervals to onset of luteal activity were shortened compared to those in the other groups. Suckling-mediated anovulation is not dependent upon mammary somatosensory cues.
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PMID:Mammary somatosensory pathways are not required for suckling-mediated inhibition of luteinizing hormone secretion and delay of ovulation in cows. 828 15

Prolactin modulates maternal functions and is involved in behaviour. Binding sites have been identified in the hypothalamus and substantia nigra. Hyperprolactinaemia stimulates dopamine turnover in several areas of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens, and reduces turnover in other regions, e.g. the substantia nigra. Hyperprolactinaemia stimulates the opioidergic system. The portal concentration of dopamine and oxytocin (a prolactin stimulatory substance) may be increased in hyperprolactinaemia. In mammals, prolactin is associated with learning, stimulation of the immune response, reduction of body temperature and increased corticosterone secretion. It is involved in the behavioural aspect of reproduction. Secretion is strongly stimulated in the female rat on exposure to pups. Hyperprolactinaemia in male rats reduces sexual behaviour. Hyperprolactinaemia reduces libido in both men and women but in men it is also associated with low testosterone levels. There is evidence that in families characterized by an absent or alcoholic father young girls may be predisposed to develop hyperprolactinaemia later in life as a reaction to losses. The underlying mechanism of such a psychosomatic reaction, a typical example of which is pseudopregnancy, may be an extemporaneous activation of a neuroendocrine "maternal subroutine" characteristic of pregnancy. Prolactinomas may result from somatic changes occurring in activated lactotrophs.
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PMID:The psychogenic effects of prolactin. 837 7

Groups of 9 or 10 cows were assigned to one of three treatments 1) machine-milking three times daily, 2) machine-milking six times daily, and 3) suckling three times daily in addition to machine- milking three times daily. Treatments were conducted during the first 6 wk postpartum; thereafter, all cows were milked three times daily. During treatment, milk production was highest for suckled cows and lowest for cows milked three times daily. The DMI were similar for suckled cows and cows milked three times daily but higher for those milked six times daily. Body weight loss was greatest for suckled cows and least for cows milked three times daily. During wk 7 to 18 postpartum, cows milked six times daily exhibited a carry-over effect on milk production that was greater than that of other groups, During treatment, plasma growth hormone and IGF-I concentrations were elevated for suckled cows and, to a lesser extent, for cows milked six times daily. Prolactin and oxytocin similarly increased, but insulin decreased in suckled cows and, to a lesser extent, in cows milked six times daily. Posttreatment differences persisted for insulin and IGF-I, but not for the other hormones. Increased frequency of udder emptying increased milk production, and suckling was superior to machine-milking. High milk production was associated with elevated growth hormone, IGF-I, prolactin, and oxytocin, although cause and effect could not be established. The failure of suckled cows to increase feed intake to match output requires further investigation.
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PMID:Relationship between frequent milking or suckling in early lactation and milk production of high producing dairy cows. 867 55

To test the hypothesis that the mechanisms of 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor-mediated hormonal responses are different, we compared the effects of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) lesions on the ACTH/corticosterone, prolactin and oxytocin responses to the 5-HT1A agonist ipsapirone (1 and 2 mg/kg), the 5-HT2C agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP, 0.6 mg/kg), which also binds to other 5-HT receptors with lower affinity, and the 5-HT2A/2C agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI, 1 mg/kg) in chronically cannulated, freely moving male rats. Pharmacological characterization using antagonists with different affinity for 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors revealed that DOI's responses were mediated mainly by 5-HT2A receptors and m-CPP's responses were almost exclusively mediated by 5-HT2C receptors. ACTH/corticosterone responses to ipsapirone, DOI and m-CPP were almost completely blocked after PVN lesions. Prolactin responses were significantly different in lesioned rats only after DOI and m-CPP challenges. Oxytocin responses to ipsapirone and DOI, but not m-CPP were markedly attenuated after PVN lesions. The present findings suggest that the PVN, or neural pathways close to it, mediate corticosterone and in some cases prolactin and oxytocin responses to selective stimulation of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, or 5-HT2C receptors.
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PMID:Role of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor-mediated oxytocin, prolactin and ACTH/corticosterone responses. 878 18

Progesterone (P) stimulates prolactin secretion through a neural mechanism in estrogen (E)-primed female monkeys. Several peptides, including beta-endorphin (BE), oxytocin (OT), substance P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) are potential prolactin stimulatory factors and could mediate the effect of P. We hypothesized that the antagonism of a pivotal peptidergic neural system would block P-induced prolactin secretion and that the function of a pivotal peptidergic system would be altered by changes in gonadal steroid concentrations. Therefore it was of interest (1) to examine the effect of infusion of antagonists to these peptides on P-induced prolactin secretion, and (2) to determine BE, OT, SP and VIP levels in the hypothalamus of monkeys of various reproductive states. For the antagonist studies, female monkeys (n = 8) were spayed, adapted to a vest and tether remote sampling system and catheterized prior to antagonist challenges. E-primed monkeys received P injections 48 h prior to antagonist administration. Prolactin increased within 36-48 h of P injection. All antagonist challenges were administered in varying doses during the P-induced prolactin elevation and blood samples were collected every 10 min for prolactin determinations. The opiate antagonist, naloxone (n = 5), reduced serum prolactin in a dose-related manner with a mean IC50 of 1.5 +/- 0.6 micrograms/kg/min. The OT (n = 4), SP (n = 4) or VIP (n = 4) antagonists did not reduce serum prolactin in a dose-related manner. We previously reported that the hypothalamic content of OT is increased by ovarian hormones. To determine whether the hypothalamic content of BE, SP or VIP was related to gonadal status, the peptide levels in 4 hypothalamic regions of monkeys in various physiological states were measured. BE (ng/mg protein) in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was significantly greater in adult females (17.7 +/- 6.9; n = 6) as compared to spayed females (0.6 +/- 0.2; n = 3) and juvenile females (1.8 +/- 1.1; n = 3). Hypothalamic content of SP in the preoptic area and mammillary bodies, but not the MBH, was significantly greater in gonadal intact females than spayed females. VIP content (pg/mg protein) was not significantly different between adult, spayed and juvenile females nor between adult and juvenile males in any hypothalamic area. Taken together these results support a pivotal role for BE in the neural regulation of P-induced prolactin secretion. The involvement of OT, SP, and VIP in a specific manner at the pituitary level is not indicated.
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PMID:Beta-endorphin, but not oxytocin, substance P or vasoactive-intestinal polypeptide, contributes to progesterone-induced prolactin secretion in monkeys. 879 99

Prolactin (PRL) has been reported to promote antidiuresis and increase intestinal water-electrolyte absorption, whereas osmolar changes have been shown to influence PRL secretion. However, the mechanisms of action of PRL on the salt-water balance remain unclarified. The present clinical study targeted the effects of hyperprolactinaemia on the secretion of arginine-8-vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OXT) and cortisol. Plasma AVP and OXT were measured by radioimmunoassay, and cortisol by fluorimetry. In healthy women (21-39 y, n=6), an oral water load (OWL, 20 ml/bw) significantly suppressed the plasma levels of AVP, OXT and cortisol, and the PRL level too tended to decrease. In hyperprolactinaemic females (22-41 y, n=6, three with pituitary adenomas), water retention was registered following an OWL, together with paradoxical AVP and OXT level increases, whereas the cortisol response remained normal, and the PRL level did not change at all. Histamine (0.5 mg sc) stimulated the release of AVP, OXT and cortisol in the control and hyperprolactinaemic groups alike. These data suggest that alterations in AVP and OXT hypersecretion may contribute to the water retention in hyperprolactinaemia.
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PMID:Neurohypophysial hormone secretion in hyperprolactinaemic women. 984 4

We determined whether milk secretion in beef cows could be reinitiated by renewed suckling after a hiatus from milking or suckling. Fifty-three Angus x Hereford cows were suckled ad libitum by their own calves for 13 to 18 d postpartum and then assigned to treatments for 4 wk in which cows were 1) neither milked nor suckled (weaned; n = 18), 2) milked 2 x daily (milked; n = 18), or 3) suckled by their own calves (suckled; n = 17). Thereafter, all calves (including earlier weaned calves) suckled their own dams until permanent weaning at 203 d of age, except when their dams were milked once after receiving (i.m.) 40 IU of oxytocin at reinitiation of suckling (0 wk) and again 1 and 5 wk later. Prolactin was increased in milked and suckled cows during 20 min after milking or suckling at the termination of treatments (0 wk). Concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I were greater for weaned than suckled cows; milked cows had intermediate concentrations. At 0 wk, milk yield was greater for suckled than milked or weaned treatment cows. After 1 wk of renewed suckling, milk secretion of weaned treatment cows increased, and by 5 wk, composition of milk was normal, but yield was still reduced. We concluded that milk secretion was renewed by suckling in early postpartum cows after they were neither suckled nor milked for 4 wk.
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PMID:Suckling reinitiated milk secretion in beef cows after an early postpartum hiatus of milking or suckling. 1041 64

Hormonal changes during non-maternal infant care have been demonstrated in many cooperatively breeding bird species, some monogamous rodents and two species of New World primates. Coevolution of hormones and social traits may have provided for the different breeding systems that occur today. Several hormones have been shown to covary with the breeding systems of vertebrates. Elevated levels of the hormone prolactin with male parenting behaviours are common to many birds, rodents and the callitrichid monkeys Callithrix jacchus and Saguinus oedipus. In birds, prolactin may be elevated in both male and female breeders during various stages of nest building, egg laying, incubating and feeding of young. Testosterone levels appear to have an inverse relationship to prolactin levels during infant care in birds and rodents, but this relationship has not been examined for primates. In cooperatively breeding birds, helpers who remain at the nest also have elevated levels of prolactin when displaying parental care behaviours. Prolactin levels are elevated in helper callitrichid monkeys during the postpartum period. Monogamous male rodents demonstrate elevated prolactin levels with parental care behaviour but, in contrast to the birds, the mechanisms mediating prolactin increase appear to differ for male and female rodents. Two factors may influence male parental behaviours and hormonal changes: stimuli from the pregnant female and stimuli from the newborn pups; whereas maternal behaviours are influenced by the maternal hormones of the female and the pup stimuli. An experiential factor may also influence male parental behaviours. Neuropeptides such as oxytocin and vasopressin appear to be involved in male rodent parental care and there may be an interaction between a series of hormones and neurosecretions and stimuli from mates and pups. Studies of Saguinus oedipus, the cotton-top tamarin, suggest that prolactin levels are responsive to stimuli from contact with infants and the level of infant care experience influences the levels of prolactin with male infant care. Father tamarins also have elevated levels of prolactin before the birth of infants suggesting that cues from the pregnant female are important. Prolactin's role in parental care may have evolved from prolactin's role in other reproductive functions. Hormonal regulation of non-maternal care may occur due to a complex interaction of many hormones and neurotransmitters. Studies described here should provide the impetus for further work on parental care hormones in a wide variety of primates.
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PMID:Hormones associated with non-maternal infant care: a review of mammalian and avian studies. 1068 83

Concentrations of LH, cortisol, estradiol-17beta (E(2)), prolactin and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGFM) were determined in cows with experimentally induced clinical mastitis during early lactation. Cows free of intramammary infection (IMI) and in the luteal phase of the estrous cycle were balanced by lactation number and days in milk and assigned to either control (n=5) or treatment (n=5) groups. Treated cows were infected experimentally (day 0), in two mammary quarters, with Streptococcus uberis and developed clinical mastitis within 60 h after inoculation as evidenced by increased mastitis scores, elevated rectal temperatures, mammary swelling and isolation of S. uberis pathogen. Four days following bacterial challenge, blood samples were collected every 20 min for 8 h for determination of PGFM and LH following administration of oxytocin and GnRH, respectively. Blood samples were also collected on days 0, 4 and 7 of the experiment to determine concentrations of E(2), prolactin and cortisol. Four days after bacterial challenge, concentrations of cortisol were higher (P=0.04) in experimentally infected cows than controls. Experimentally challenged cows had increased (P=0.02) concentrations of cortisol on days 4 and 7 compared with day 0. Control cows had no significant increase in blood cortisol during the experimental period. Baseline concentrations of PGFM did not differ between groups; however, peak concentrations of PGFM following oxytocin challenge were elevated (P=0.006) in cows with clinical mastitis compared with control animals. Prolactin, E(2) and LH did not differ between cows with clinical mastitis or controls. Experimentally induced mastitis during early lactation elevated concentrations of cortisol during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle. Furthermore, mastitic cows demonstrated an increased PGFM response following oxytocin administration. Altered reproductive efficiency in cows with clinical mastitis caused by Gram-positive pathogens may be the result of increased uterine sensitivity to prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)).
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PMID:Endocrine profiles of dairy cows following experimentally induced clinical mastitis during early lactation. 1070 98

Prolactin is one of two major hormones involved in lactation. While the role of infant suckling and oxytocin in the lactation process are well understood, the role of prolactin is less clear. A variety of factors related to prolactin have been investigated, and these are used as an organizing framework for this article. Factors include pregnancy, lactation, nursing frequency, prior lactation experience, milk production, and pharmacologic agents. The literature, while substantial in amount, presents inconsistencies. Implications for practice are discussed.
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PMID:Serum prolactin in breastfeeding: state of the science. 1122 99


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