Suppression of Mammary Hyperplastic Nodule Formation and Pituitary Prolactin Secretion in Mice Induced by Ergocornine or 2-Bromo-α-ergocryptine

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Abstract
The effects of chronic subcutaneous administration of ergocornine or 2-bromo-α-ergocryptine (CB-154) on the incidence and growth of mammary hyperplastic nodules (HN) and on the levels of pituitary prolactin and growth hormone (GH) were studied in 7- to 8-month-old female mice of the C3H/He strain. The number of HN per mouse was 39 and 23% that of the controls in the groups receiving ergocornine and CB-154 for 20 days and 20 and 8% in the groups treated for 40 days. The average size of HN was significantly smaller, and the number of “ghost” nodules (the remnants of regressed HN) was larger in the treated groups than that in the controls treated for 40 days. The inhibition of HN was more pronounced after longer treatment with the alkaloids. Lobuloalveolar (L-A) development was limited in the mammary glands of the experimental groups, whereas the mammary glands of control animals had a moderately developed L-A system in both experiments. Levels of anterior pituitary prolactin were decreased to 54–60% of those for the controls by the ergot alkaloids. These decreases were more marked in the longer experiment. GH levels were not altered by the treatments. These results demonstrate that pituitary prolactin secretion was suppressed by ergocornine or CB-154, which is believed to be responsible for inhibiting the development and growth of HN.

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