The Effect of Prolactin Deficiency During Sexual Maturation in the Male Rat

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Abstract
A deficiency in prolactin in male rats was generated by repeated injections of an antiserum to prolactin and the effects on sexual development and on serum hormone concentrations were investigated. Pups were separated according to sex on Day 2 (day of birth = Day 1). Males were retained in litters of 9 each and were maintained on a 14 h photoperiod (0500 h to 1900 h). Beginning on Day 3, pups received the first in a series of subcutaneous injections consisting of either normal rabbit serum (NRS) or rabbit anti-rat prolactin (ARP). Animals were sacrificed by decapitation either on Day 49 or 61. Body weights and wet weights of the pituitary glands, testes, ventral prostates, seminal vesicles and adrenals were recorded and serum concentrations of LH, testosterone, prolactin and FSH were determined by radioimmunoassay. Serum from ARP treated animals had no immunoprecipitable prolactin either on Day 49 or 61. ARP animals had significantly increased serum LH concentrations by Day 49 compared to NRS controls (P<0.001) but did not have significantly different concentrations of testosterone or FSH. By Day 61, concentrations of LH, testosterone and FSH from ARP animals did not significantly differ from NRS controls. Prostate and seminal vesicle weights were significantly lower in ARP treated animals compared to NRS controls on Day 61 (P<0.05 in each case), but not on Day 49. Body weights and pituitary, testes and adrenal weights were unaffected by ARP treatment either at 49 or 61 days. These data suggest that prolactin has an inhibitory effect on the secretion of LH during sexual maturation and a stimulatory effect on the development of secondary sex tissues.

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