Interactions between N-methyl-D-aspartate, nitric oxide and serotonin in the control of prolactin secretion in prepubertal male rats

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cordoba, Spain.

The role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in the control of prolactin (PRL) secretion was analysed in prepubertal male rats. In experiment 1, males of different ages were decapitated after administration of NMDA or vehicle. In experiment 2, 30-day-old males were killed at different times after administration of vehicle, NMDA, MK-801 (a non-competitive NMDA antagonist) or NMDA plus MK-801. In experiment 3, 23-day-old males were sham-orchidectomized or orchidectomized. Orchidectomized males were or were not implanted with Silastic capsules containing different amounts of testosterone. On day 30, the animals were decapitated after administration of vehicle, NMDA or MK-801. In experiment 4, 30-day-old male rats were decapitated after being injected with vehicle, NMDA, Nw-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (NAME) (an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase), or NMDA plus NAME. Serum PRL concentrations, and dopamine pituitary and hypothalamic content were measured. In experiment 5, males pretreated with vehicle or NAME were killed after administration of the precursor of serotonin synthesis 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the 5-HT1 receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) or the 5-HT2 agonist (+/-) 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride (DOI). Finally, the effects of NMDA, NAME and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were tested in dispersed adenohypophyseal cells. We found that: (1) antagonism of NMDA receptors with MK-801 decreased PRL secretion in intact, orchidectomized and orchidectomized-testosterone treated male rats; (ii) NMDA inhibited PRL release in vivo through an increase in dopamine release and this effect was potentiated by NAME and prevented by testosterone; (iii) NMDA inhibited PRL, secretion in vitro and this effect was observed in presence of both SNP and NAME; (iv) NAME blocked the stimulatory effects of 5-HTP and DOI on PRL secretion. We conclude that endogenous glutamate stimulates PRL release and that NO might have a pivotal role in the mechanisms involved in the control of PRL release, inhibiting the release of dopamine and modulating the effects of NMDA and 5-HT.