A reply to "Relevant factors in the eutrophication of the Uruguay River and the Río Negro".

A recent paper by Beretta-Blanco and Carrasco-Letelier (2021) claims that agricultural eutrophication is not one of the main causes for cyanobacterial blooms in rivers and artificial reservoirs. By combining rivers of markedly different hydrological characteristics e.g., presence/absence and number of dams, river discharge and geological setting, the study speculates about the role of nutrients for modulating phytoplankton chlorophyll-a. Here, we identified serious flaws, from erratic and inaccurate data manipulation. The study did not define how erroneous original dataset values were treated, how the variables below the detection/quantification limit were numerically introduced, lack of mandatory variables for river studies such as flow and rainfall, arbitrary removal of pH > 7.5 values (which were not outliers), and finally how extreme values of other environmental variables were included. In addition, we identified conceptual and procedural mistakes such as biased construction/evaluation of model prediction capability. The study trained the model using pooled data from a short restricted lotic section of the (large) Uruguay River and from both lotic and reservoir domains of the Negro River, but then tested predictability within the (small) Cuareim River. Besides these methodological considerations, the article shows misinterpretations of the statistical correlation of cause and effect neglecting basic limnological knowledge of the ecology of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and international research on land use effects on freshwater quality. The argument that pH is a predictor variable for HABs neglects overwhelming basic paradigms of carbon fluxes and change in pH because of primary productivity. As a result, the article introduces the notion that HABs formation are not related to agricultural land use and water residence time and generate a great risk for the management of surface waterbodies. This reply also emphasizes the need for good practices of open data management, especially for public databases in view of external reproducibility.

Experimental evidence on the effects of temperature and salinity in morphological traits of the Microcystis aeruginosa complex.

Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC) encompasses noxious colonial bloom forming cyanobacteria. MAC representatives bloom in eutrophic freshwater and brackish ecosystems with stagnant water, were temperature and salinity are the main variables modulating their distribution, biomass and toxicity. Cell abundance and biovolume of MAC colonies define regulatory standards for public health. These variables depend upon colony size that in turn changes with environmental conditions. Here, we conducted two series of experiments to evaluate the response of MAC colonies morphological traits (length, volume, mucilage and number of cells) to temperature and salinity. In two series of experiments in the laboratory, we exposed natural MAC communities to three different temperatures (10, 21 and 30 °C) and four salinity levels (0, 5, 10 and 25 ppt) typically found in estuaries. We found that average colony length, volume and mucilage thickness did not change with temperature, but the cell-free space inside the colonies was smaller at the highest evaluated temperature (30 °C). Salinity fostered an increase in colony length, volume and mucilage thickness, while cell-free space diminished, resulting in higher cell density. The number of cells per colony was significantly related to colony size (length and volume) and both, temperature and salinity, affected the parameters of the relationships. Based on present results we propose statistical models to predict cell number per colony based on length and volume and accounting for the effect of salinity and temperature on these traits. This is applicable to ecological studies and to the monitoring of estuarine aquatic environments, by means of a fast and more accurate estimation of cell numbers to define MAC toxic populations early warning systems. A protocol is suggested for its application while the analysis of the interaction of temperature and salinity, as well as the variability in natural environments are objectives for future researches.

Impact of nutritional stress on the honeybee colony health.

Honeybees Apis mellifera are important pollinators of wild plants and commercial crops. For more than a decade, high percentages of honeybee colony losses have been reported worldwide. Nutritional stress due to habitat depletion, infection by different pests and pathogens and pesticide exposure has been proposed as the major causes. In this study we analyzed how nutritional stress affects colony strength and health. Two groups of colonies were set in a Eucalyptus grandis plantation at the beginning of the flowering period (autumn), replicating a natural scenario with a nutritionally poor food source. While both groups of colonies had access to the pollen available in this plantation, one was supplemented with a polyfloral pollen patty during the entire flowering period. In the short-term, colonies under nutritional stress (which consumed mainly E. grandis pollen) showed higher infection level with Nosema spp. and lower brood and adult bee population, compared to supplemented colonies. On the other hand, these supplemented colonies showed higher infection level with RNA viruses although infection levels were low compared to countries were viral infections have negative impacts. Nutritional stress also had long-term colony effects, because bee population did not recover in spring, as in supplemented colonies did. In conclusion, nutritional stress and Nosema spp. infection had a severe impact on colony strength with consequences in both short and long-term.

Dissociation of dopamine from its receptor as a signal in the pleiotropic hypothalamic regulation of prolactin secretion.

We have reviewed the literature, which supports an important role for dopamine withdrawal in the regulation of PRL secretion. Concentrations of dopamine in the hypophyseal portal circulation are sufficient to occupy the majority of dopamine receptors (1) and tonically suppress PRL secretion (20-26). Brief escapes from dopaminergic regulation associated with the secretion of PRL have been observed (37-41). Therefore, dopamine regulates secretion of PRL both by occupancy of, as well as dissociation from, specific D2 dopamine receptors. The rapid off rate from its receptor (2) is consistent with signals transmitted through brief decreases in dopamine concentration. The removal of dopamine for 10 min results in increases in intracellular cAMP and presumably activation of protein kinase A (39, 138) as well as activation of phospholipase C (137, 138) and protein kinase C (136). The removal of dopamine results directly in the release of PRL (37-41). Furthermore, the brief removal of dopamine results in the long-term potentiation of the PRL-releasing action of TRH (38-40). The potentiating action of dopamine withdrawal appears to be mediated by the activation of protein kinase A since pretreatment with VIP, a hormone that signals via protein kinase A, also potentiates the action of TRH (39). TRH stimulates PRL release via Ca2+/protein kinase C (177-184). The potentiating action of dopamine removal is selective for the Ca2+/protein kinase C pathway since dopamine removal does not potentiate the PRL-secreting action of VIP (38, 87, 92). The action of TRH is potentiated up to 30 min after the return of dopamine and the suppression of PRL to basal levels (38). In Fig. 10, dopamine dissociation from its receptor or VIP association to its receptor are shown separated by a broken line to indicate that by the time the potentiation of the action of TRH is tested, either dopamine is again occupying its receptor or VIP is no longer present. Therefore, the effect of protein kinase A activation is remembered by the lactotroph. We hypothesize that the responsiveness of the cell to TRH is potentiated by the phosphorylation of proteins by protein kinase A. Two potential substrates for protein kinase A are voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and protein phosphatase inhibitors that would prolong the action of protein kinase C. When TRH occupies its receptor, intracellular Ca2+ levels are increased first from intracellular stores and subsequently by extracellular Ca2+ influx (187-189). Intracellular Ca2+ is mobilized by increased levels of IP3(128). Extracellular Ca2+ enters the lactotroph via voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (189, 190).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Improved biovolume estimation of Microcystis aeruginosa colonies: A statistical approach.

The Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC) clusters many of the most common freshwater and brackish bloom-forming cyanobacteria. In monitoring protocols, biovolume estimation is a common approach to determine MAC colonies biomass and useful for prediction purposes. Biovolume (µm3 mL-1) is calculated multiplying organism abundance (orgL-1) by colonial volume (µm3org-1). Colonial volume is estimated based on geometric shapes and requires accurate measurements of dimensions using optical microscopy. A trade-off between easy-to-measure but low-accuracy simple shapes (e.g. sphere) and time costly but high-accuracy complex shapes (e.g. ellipsoid) volume estimation is posed. Overestimations effects in ecological studies and management decisions associated to harmful blooms are significant due to the large sizes of MAC colonies. In this work, we aimed to increase the precision of MAC biovolume estimations by developing a statistical model based on two easy-to-measure dimensions. We analyzed field data from a wide environmental gradient (800 km) spanning freshwater to estuarine and seawater. We measured length, width and depth from ca. 5700 colonies under an inverted microscope and estimated colonial volume using three different recommended geometrical shapes (sphere, prolate spheroid and ellipsoid). Because of the non-spherical shape of MAC the ellipsoid resulted in the most accurate approximation, whereas the sphere overestimated colonial volume (3-80) especially for large colonies (MLD higher than 300 µm). Ellipsoid requires measuring three dimensions and is time-consuming. Therefore, we constructed different statistical models to predict organisms depth based on length and width. Splitting the data into training (2/3) and test (1/3) sets, all models resulted in low training (1.41-1.44%) and testing average error (1.3-2.0%). The models were also evaluated using three other independent datasets. The multiple linear model was finally selected to calculate MAC volume as an ellipsoid based on length and width. This work contributes to achieve a better estimation of MAC volume applicable to monitoring programs as well as to ecological research.

Effect of dopamine withdrawal on activation of adenylate cyclase and phospholipase C in enriched lactotrophs.

In order to define the roles of cAMP and inositol phosphates (IPx) in the mechanisms governing dopamine (DA)-regulated PRL release, we have carried out studies with enriched lactotrophs from dispersed anterior pituitaries of estrogen-treated rats. Changes in the intracellular levels of cAMP as well as IPx were determined in response to the acute addition or removal of DA. The withdrawal of DA from the incubation medium in cells cultured with DA (500 nM) for 24 h resulted in a rapid and significant increase in cAMP concentration from 1.29 +/- 0.098 to 3.89 +/- 0.199 pmol/dish. On the other hand, the administration of DA for 10 min to cells cultured without it resulted in a significant decrease in intracellular cAMP (from 3.04 +/- 0.208 to 1.62 +/- 0.057 pmol/dish). Similarly, PRL released into the medium was stimulated (95.1 +/- 9%) or inhibited (46.9 +/- 6%) after DA withdrawal or addition, respectively. Cells incubated 24 h with [3H]inositol and DA (500 nM) responded to DA withdrawal with a significant increase in the concentration of [3H]IPx (5148 +/- 199 vs. 8,376 +/- 164 cpm/dish), whereas acute DA administration had no effect on the level of [3H]IPx. The administration of 8-Br-cAMP (0.5 and 2.5 mM) and forskolin (10 microM) for 10 min to cells tonically cultured in the presence of DA had no effect on the intracellular concentration of [3H]IPx, although they decreased the relative proportion of [3H]IP3 fraction from 22.1% to 11.6%, 13.6%, and 9.6%, respectively. The administration of TRH (100 nM), either under tonic DA inhibition or 10 min after the transient removal of DA inhibition, resulted in a similar stimulation of IPx formation (from 5,625 +/- 155 to 21,830 +/- 100 and 24,870 +/- 80 cpm/dish, respectively). However, the release of PRL induced by TRH was potentiated 6-fold (38.2 +/- 2.17 vs. 227 +/- 41 ng/dish) by the transient removal of DA. These findings support the conclusions that: 1) DA receptors in lactotrophs are negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase as seen during the addition or removal of DA. 2) DA receptors are negatively coupled to phospholipase C; however activation is only seen upon the removal of DA. 3) The effect of DA withdrawal on the formation of IPx is not secondary to the activation of adenylate cyclase. 4) The potentiation of the PRL response to TRH after DA withdrawal does not involve increased production of IPx.

Beta 1-adrenergic regulation of the GT1 gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal cell lines: stimulation of GnRH release via receptors positively coupled to adenylate cyclase.

The release of GnRH evoked by norepinephrine (NE) was studied in GT1 GnRH neuronal cell lines in superfusion and static cultures. GnRH release from static cultured GT1-7 cells was stimulated by NE in a dose-dependent fashion. This effect was mimicked by the nonsubtype-selective beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol and blocked by the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol and the beta 1-adrenergic subtype-specific antagonist CGP 20712A. However, the stimulation of GnRH release by NE was not affected by the beta 2-, alpha-, alpha 1-, or alpha 2-adrenergic antagonists ICI 118.551, phentolamine, prazosin, or yohimbine, respectively. Superfusion of GT1-1 cells with NE for 60-100 min resulted in rapid and sustained increases in GnRH secretion. The NE-stimulated GnRH release showed a higher amplitude and longer duration than the spontaneous GnRH pulses characteristic of GT1-1 cells. In parallel to the stimulation of GnRH release, NE also rapidly increased (first observed at 60 sec) the intracellular concentration of cAMP in isobutylmethylxanthine-pretreated GT1-1 and GT1-7 cells in a dose-dependent fashion. The stimulation of intracellular cAMP concentration was also mimicked by isoproterenol and blocked by propranolol and CGP 20712A. In addition, GT1 cells express beta 1- but not beta 2-adrenergic receptor mRNA, as probed by Northern blot analysis. These results demonstrate a direct stimulatory effect of NE on GnRH neurons. The pharmacological evidence and the mRNA analysis are consistent with NE acting through a beta 1-adrenergic receptor positively coupled to adenylate cyclase.

Histamine directly stimulates gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion from GT1-1 cells via H1 receptors coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

It is unclear whether the central stimulating effect of histamine on GnRH secretion is exerted directly on GnRH neurosecretory neurons or indirectly via multisynaptic pathways, and controversy exists about the nature of the receptors involved. The current studies were undertaken to examine whether GnRH secretion from immortalized GnRH cell lines is directly regulated by histamine and, if so, to determine the identity of the receptors and the signaling pathways coupling this action. Histamine stimulated GnRH release from GT1-1 cells in a sustained and reversible manner and in a dose-dependent fashion. This effect was blocked by the selective H1 histamine receptor antagonist, mepyramine, but not by the H2 or H3 antagonists, ranitidine or thioperamide, respectively. Saturable and specific binding sites for [3H]mepyramine were demonstrated in GT1-1 cells, showing high affinity (apparent Kd, 37.8 nM) and density (apparent binding capacity, 279 fmol/mg protein) comparable to respective values in brain tissue. Competition of [3H]mepyramine binding was achieved with mepyramine at concentrations 3 orders of magnitude lower than those of ranitidine. Histamine also increased the production of inositol phosphates in GT1-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This response was mimicked by the selective H1 receptor agonist 2-thiazolylethylamine and blocked by the H1 antagonists mepyramine, chlorpheniramine, and triprolidine. In contrast, histamine did not alter the formation of cAMP in GT1-1 cells. The present results show a direct action of histamine on immortalized GnRH neurons, suggesting that histamine may stimulate the reproductive axis by activation of H1 receptors on the surface of GnRH neurons coupled to the formation of inositol phosphates.

Dopaminergic regulation of the GT1 gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal cell lines: stimulation of GnRH release via D1-receptors positively coupled to adenylate cyclase.

The release of GnRH evoked by dopamine (DA) was studied in the GT1 GnRH neuronal cell lines. Superfusion of GT1-1 cells with DA or the D1-dopaminergic agonist SKF 38393, but not with the D2-dopaminergic agonist bromocriptine, increased 2-fold the amplitude of the spontaneous GnRH pulses. Treatment with DA for 30 min also stimulated GnRH release from static cultures of GT1-7 cells. This effect was mimicked by the selective D1-dopaminergic agonist SKF 38393 and blocked by the D1-dopaminergic antagonist SCH 23390. However, the D2-dopaminergic agonist bromocriptine had no effect, and the stimulation of GnRH release by DA was not blocked by the D2-dopaminergic antagonist spiroperidol. In parallel to the stimulation of GnRH release, DA also rapidly increased (first observed at 120 sec) in a dose-dependent fashion, the intracellular concentration of cAMP in isobutylmethylxanthine-pretreated GT1-7 cells. The pharmacological profile of the increase in cAMP was identical to that for GnRH release. The cAMP responses to DA and norepinephrine were lost after long term treatment with SKF 38393, i.e. heterologous desensitization. GT1 cells also express the mRNA for the dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phospho-protein (mol wt, 32,000; DARPP-32) only seen in cells expressing DA D1-receptors. These results demonstrate a direct stimulatory effect of DA on GnRH release via DA D1-receptors positively coupled to adenylate cyclase in GnRH neuronal cell lines.

Dopamine withdrawal and addition of thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulate membrane translocation of protein kinase-C and phosphorylation of an endogenous 80K substrate in enriched lactotrophs.

The biochemical mechanisms underlying the direct stimulatory action of dopamine (DA) withdrawal on PRL release and on the potentiation of TRH stimulation are not known. These actions can be mimicked by pretreatment of lactotrophs with the protein kinase-C (PKC) activator 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. Previous studies have shown that administration of TRH or withdrawal of DA stimulates polyphosphoinositide breakdown, although to different degrees. We have tested whether the acute withdrawal of DA activates PKC and determined if the prior removal of DA modifies the activation of PKC by TRH. Primary cultures of dispersed anterior pituitaries from estradiol-treated rats consisting of approximately 80% lactotrophs were maintained overnight in 500 nM DA. Activation of PKC was assayed immunochemically as translocation of PKC to a membrane fraction and by in situ phosphorylation of an acid-soluble heat-stable 80K substrate. Acute withdrawal of DA induced translocation of immunoreactive PKC to the membrane fraction (25-250%) and enhanced phosphorylation (40-100%) of an 80K protein. These effects were detected within 5-15 sec of DA withdrawal and were prolonged (10-30 min). TRH induced a rapid and transient activation of both parameters. The duration and magnitude of the action of TRH were increased by prior removal of DA. These results are consistent with a role for PKC activation in transduction of the stimulation of PRL release by the withdrawal of DA. The longer lasting activation of PKC may explain at least in part the potentiation of the PRL-releasing action of TRH by the withdrawal of DA.

Changes in molecular variants during in vitro transformation and release of prolactin by the pituitary gland of the lactating rat.

PRL transformation involves a dopamine (DA)-controlled, thiol-mediated decrease in pituitary PRL detectability that precedes and may determine increased PRL release. The present studies were designed to determine 1) whether structural changes occur to adenohypophyseal (AP) PRL during in vitro transformation and may account for decreased PRL detectability; 2) whether such changes occur within AP PRL granules; 3) the type and proportion of secreted PRL variants; and 4) the influence of DA and/or thiol reducing agents upon AP PRL molecular changes. Quartered APs of 8 h nonsuckled lactating rats, injected or not with [3H]leucine (5 mCi/g body wt, 8 h before death) were incubated for 30-240 min. The effects of DA (50 microM) with or without reduced glutathione (10 mM), and the alkylant N-ethylmaleimide (1 mM) were compared to the changes in PRL molecular variants occurring in control incubated AP fragments. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) under native conditions and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE under reducing (R) or nonreducing (NR) conditions were used to resolve molecular variants of PRL and [3H]PRL, followed by Western blotting and densitometric/liquid scintillation techniques, respectively. Up to 5 and 10 major forms of immunoreactive PRL were resolved by PAGE and SDS-PAGE, respectively. The spontaneous transformation after 30 min incubation was correlated with a decrease of 23K PRL and 23K [3H]PRL bands and an increase in high mol wt (80 to greater than 100K) PRL forms. These changes were reversible upon reduction of the proteins before electrophoresis or after extraction of preparative gels. DA and N-ethylmaleimide prevented, whereas reduced glutathione induced these changes. Similar changes were observed in isolated granules from nonincubated and incubated pituitary fragments. Secreted PRL was also polymorphic, with a high predominance of 23K PRL and 23K [3H]PRL. In addition, a polymeric PRL variant, which in reducing gels showed an apparent mol wt of 27K, was secreted in high proportion, similar to that of 23K PRL. The nature of this polymeric variant of PRL is unclear at present. Altogether, these results suggest that a dynamic interconversion of PRL molecular variants occur during transformation. The decreased detectability associated with PRL transformation appears to involve the association of 23K PRL molecules into a 80 to greater than 100K disulfide-linked oligomer. This association is reversible upon reduction and takes place within secretory granules. DA appears to inhibit PRL transformation by preventing thiol-disulfide interchange.

A 14-kilodalton prolactin-like fragment is secreted by the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system of the rat.

The recently described expression of the PRL gene, and the occurrence of a 14-kilodalton (kDa)PRL-like immunoreactive protein in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system of the rat have raised the possibility that PRL variants are released from neurohypophyseal terminals into the blood. In this study, we investigated the local production of a hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal 14-kDa PRL-like protein by showing an independent origin from adenohypophyseal PRL. No 14-kDa PRL-like protein was detected in adenohypophyseal extracts by Western blots, whereas chronic hypophysectomy produced no change in the immunocytochemical detection of PRLs in supraoptic and paraventricular magnocellular neurons. In addition, a 14-kDa immunoreactive PRL-like protein was released into the medium by incubated neurohypophyseal lobes. Western blot analysis showed that significantly more of this 14-kDa protein was released into calcium-containing medium (1.8 mM) than into calcium-free medium. Furthermore, depolarizing concentrations of potassium (56 mM) increased by 3-fold the release of immunoreactive PRL by incubated hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal explants. In addition, a 14-kDa PRL-like antigen was detected in the circulation of the rat by Western blot analysis. These results are consistent with the local synthesis and calcium-dependent release of neurohypophyseal PRL-like proteins that include a predominant 14-kDa form.

Regulation of prolactin secretion by dopamine and thyrotropin-releasing hormone in lactating rat adenohypophyses: influence of intracellular age of the hormone.

We studied the effect of dopamine (DA) on the rate of processing of PRL after biosynthesis and, with TRH, on the secretion of PRL of different intracellular ages. In these studies anterior pituitary (AP) PRL of lactating rats was pulse labeled either in vivo with [3H]leucine (3 microCi/g BW, injected iv 0.2, 1, 4, 8, 16, or 24 h before removing the AP for incubation) or in vitro with [3H]- or [14C]leucine (5 microCi/ml Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer for 5 min), followed by a chase period of 15-240 min of AP fragments in medium 199. Also, to determine if endogenous DA influenced PRL synthesis, the rate of [14C]-leucine incorporation into PRL was determined in AP fragments from alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha MpT)-pretreated (200 mg/kg BW) rats. Tissue and medium PRL levels were quantified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis densitometric and liquid scintillation techniques. In APs from alpha MpT-treated animals [14C]-leucine incorporation into PRL increased about 30% above control values after the 5-min pulse period, and the release of labeled PRL from alpha MpT-treated APs was about 80% higher than control values after 4 h of incubation. On the other hand, when DA (50 microM) was present in the incubation medium, AP concentrations and release of in vitro synthesized [3H]PRL were significantly decreased (45-55% compared to control values; P less than 0.001). The [3H]PRL concentration, but not that of total, i.e. unlabeled PRL, fell within the AP as the time from in vivo pulse labeling to removal of the pituitary gland increased from 8 to 24 h, thus suggesting that a loss of labeled hormone occurred as it aged within the gland. Also, it was found that biosynthesis and/or processing of PRL were markedly depressed in APs from rats whose pups were removed for 24 h. Under basal conditions, in vitro secretion of [3H]PRLs during the first 30-60 min of incubation consisted primarily of mature [3H]PRL, i.e. those labeled 4 and 8 h previously, whereas newly synthesized (labeled 0.2 and 1 h previously) and old [3H]PRL (labeled 16 and 24 h previously) were secreted at much lower rates. These data confirm previous in vivo and in vitro results on the sequential release of different age PRLs. DA (17 microM) had a significantly greater inhibitory effect on newly synthesized and older stored PRL than on PRL labeled 4-8 h previously. The converse was true with regard to the PRL stimulatory effects of TRH; it provoked greater stimulation of PRL labeled 4-8 h before incubation, thus suggesting an interdependence of the actions of DA or TRH with intracellular age of the hormone.

Inhibition of rat corneal angiogenesis by 16-kDa prolactin and by endogenous prolactin-like molecules.

PURPOSE: The cornea is an avascular organ, where induction of new blood vessels involves the turn-on of proangiogenic factors and/or the turn-off of antiangiogenic regulators. Prolactin (PRL) fragments of 14 kDa and 16 kDa bind to endothelial cell receptors and inhibit angiogenesis. This study was designed to determine whether antiangiogenic PRL-like molecules are involved in cornea avascularity. METHODS: Sixteen-kDa PRL and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or anti-PRL antibodies were placed into rat cornea micropockets and neovascularization evaluated by the optical density associated with capillaries stained by the peroxidase reaction and by the number of vessels growing into the implants. Prolactin receptors in corneal epithelium were investigated by immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: bFGF induced a dose-dependent stimulation of corneal neovascularization. This effect was inhibited by coadministration of 16-kDa PRL, as indicated by a 65% reduction in vessel density and a 50% decrement in the incidence of angiogenic responses. Corneal angiogenic reactions of different intensities were induced by implantation of polyclonal and monoclonal anti-PRL antibodies. Corneal epithelial cells were labeled by several anti-PRL receptor monoclonal antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that exogenous 16-kDa PRL inhibits bFGF-induced corneal neovascularization and suggest that PRL-like molecules with antiangiogenic actions function in the cornea. PRL receptors in the corneal epithelium may imply that PRL in the cornea derives from lacrimal PRL internalized through an intracellular pathway. These observations are consistent with the notion that members of the PRL family are potential regulators of corneal angiogenesis.

Roles of prolactin and related members of the prolactin/growth hormone/placental lactogen family in angiogenesis.

Prolactin, growth hormone and placental lactogen are members of a family of polypeptide hormones which share structural similarities and biological activities. Numerous functions have been attributed to these hormones, among which stand out their recently discovered effects on angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels are formed from the pre-existing microvasculature. Prolactin, growth hormone and placental lactogen, along with two non-classical members of the family, proliferin and proliferin-related protein, can act both as circulating hormones and as paracrine/autocrine factors to either stimulate or inhibit various stages of the formation and remodeling of new blood vessels, including endothelial cell proliferation, migration, protease production and apoptosis. Such opposing actions can reside in similar but independent molecules, as is the case of proliferin and proliferin-related protein, which stimulate and inhibit angiogenesis respectively. The potential to exert opposing effects on angiogenesis can also reside within the same molecule as the parent protein can promote angiogenesis (i.e. prolactin, growth hormone and placental lactogen), but after proteolytic processing the resulting peptide fragment acquires anti-angiogenic properties (i.e. 16 kDa prolactin, 16 kDa growth hormone and 16 kDa placental lactogen). The unique properties of the peptide fragments versus the full-length molecules, the regulation of the protease responsible for specific protein cleavage, the selective expression of specific receptors and their associated signal transduction pathways are issues that are being investigated to further establish the precise contribution of these hormones to angiogenesis under both physiological and pathological situations. In this review article, we summarize the known and speculative issues underlying the effects of the prolactin, growth hormone and placental lactogen family of proteins on angiogenesis, and address important remaining enigmas in this field of research.

16K prolactin induces NF-kappaB activation in pulmonary fibroblasts.

The amino-terminal 16 kDa fragment of prolactin (16K PRL) promotes the expression of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) accompanied by the production of nitric oxide (NO) by rat pulmonary fibroblasts. The present study was designed to elucidate whether the mechanism by which 16K PRL promotes iNOS expression involves the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), a key transcription factor for iNOS induction. 16K PRL stimulated DNA-binding activity of NF-kappaB in pulmonary fibroblasts as demonstrated by gel shift assays. Likewise, fluorescence immunocytochemistry showed that 16K PRL promotes nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB. Finally, treatment with 16K PRL induced the degradation of the NF-kappaB inhibitor kappaB-beta (IkappaB-beta), and such degradation was prevented by blocking IkappaB-beta phosphorylation. Altogether, these results show that 16K PRL activates NF-kappaB nuclear translocation via the phosphorylation and degradation of IkappaB-beta. These findings are consistent with NF-kappaB being part of the signal transduction pathway activated by 16K PRL to induce iNOS expression.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells express multiple prolactin isoforms.

Members of the prolactin (PRL) hormonal family have direct effects on endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Moreover, isoforms of PRL may function as autocrine regulators of endothelial cells. Bovine brain capillary endothelial cells (BBCEC) express the PRL gene, while anti-PRL antibodies inhibit BBCEC proliferation. Here, we show the expression of the PRL gene into various PRL isoforms in endothelial cells from the human umbilical vein. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of total RNA from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) detected the full-length PRL mRNA as well as a 100 bp smaller PRL transcript similar to the one previously reported in BBCEC. HUVEC were positive to PRL immunocytochemistry. In addition, various PRL immunoreactive proteins were detected in HUVEC extracts and HUVEC conditioned media by metabolic labelling immunoprecipitation analysis. These PRL immunorelated proteins had apparent molecular masses of 60, 23, 21, 16 and 14 kDa. In contrast to previous findings in BBCEC, HUVEC conditioned media contained very little PRL bioactivity as determined by the selective bioassay of Nb2 cell proliferation. Moreover, some polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies directed against PRL stimulated HUVEC proliferation, in contrast to the inhibitory effect seen in BBCEC. The present findings extend the previous observations about the expression of PRL gene in endothelial cells from bovine brain capillaries to human cells of the umbilical vein, implicating that endothelium from different types of vessels and species share the expression of PRL gene but may differ in the putative autocrine role of the PRL isoforms expressed.

Changes in the expression of neurohypophyseal prolactins during the estrous cycle and after estrogen treatment.

Estrogens are recognized regulators of the expression of neurohypophyseal hormones and of anterior pituitary prolactin (PRL). Here we have investigated whether the levels of PRL mRNA and of 23 and 14 kDa PRL variants present in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system change during the estrous cycle or in response to estrogen treatment. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to examine PRL mRNA expression in isolated paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) hypothalamic nuclei. In both nuclei PRL mRNA levels appeared higher in cycling females than in male rats, with the highest level occurring at estrus. This increase may involve estrogen action, since estrogen administration to ovariectomized rats was associated with apparently higher PRL mRNA levels in both the PVN and SON. Expression of the PRL gene at these sites may occur via both transcriptional factor Pit-1-dependent and -independent mechanisms. RT-PCR detected the mRNA for Pit-1 in the PVN but only at estrus. The concentration of the 23 kDa immunoreactive PRL determined in the neurohypophysis was significantly higher during estrus and after estrogen treatment. However, no difference was detected in the levels of the neurohypophyseal 14 kDa PRL-like fragment along the estrous cycle nor after estrogen administration. This lack of parallelism between neurohypophyseal PRLs could relate to an estrogen-induced inhibition of the proteolysis of 23 kDa PRL at this site, since estrogen treatment reduced the activity of neurohypophyseal proteolytic enzymes able to cleave PRL. Altogether our results are consistent with estrogens having a stimulatory effect on PRL gene expression in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system and a concomitant inhibitory action on PRL proteolysis at this site.

Expression of prolactin mRNA and of prolactin-like proteins in endothelial cells: evidence for autocrine effects.

Formation of new capillary blood vessels, termed angiogenesis, is essential for the growth and development of tissues and underlies a variety of diseases including tumor growth. Members of the prolactin hormonal family bind to endothelial cell receptors and have direct effects on cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Because many angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors are produced by endothelial cells, we investigated whether endothelial cells expressed the prolactin gene. Here we show that bovine brain capillary endothelial cells (BBCEC) in culture express the full-length prolactin messenger RNA, in addition to a novel prolactin transcript, lacking the third exon of the gene. In addition cultures of BBCEC synthesize and secrete prolactin-like immunoreactive proteins with apparent molecular masses of 23, 21 and 14 kDa. The prolactin-like nature of these proteins in supported by the observation that Nb2-cells, a prolactin-responsive cell line, were stimulated to proliferate when co-cultured with endothelial cells and this stimulation was neutralized with prolactin-directed antibodies. Finally, consistent with a possible autocrine effect of endothelial-derived prolactins, polyclonal and monoclonal prolactin antibodies specifically inhibited basal and basis fibroblast growth-factor-stimulated growth of endothelial cells. Taken together, the present findings support the hypothesis of the prolactin gene being expressed in endothelial cells as proteins that could act in an autocrine fashion to regulate cell proliferation.

The catecholaminergic stimulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone release by GT1-1 cells does not involve phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion is modulated by a large number of neuromediators, among which catecholamines play a central role. Previous results have shown that both dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) stimulate GnRH secretion in GT1 neuronal cell lines. These stimulatory effects appear to involve D1-dopaminergic and beta 1-adrenergic receptors positively coupled to adenylate cyclase. However, in spite of a similar efficacy of these catecholamines to stimulate GnRH secretion, DA is two-fold more efficacious than NE to stimulate the formation of cyclic AMP. This rises the possibility that other signaling pathways and other receptor subtypes could be involved in the catecholaminergic stimulation of GnRH release. Since the signaling pathway triggered by phosphoinositide hydrolysis is a potent stimulator of GnRH secretion and appears to mediate the releasing actions of neuromediators such as histamine and endothelin, we investigated if this signaling pathway was also involved in the catecholaminergic stimulation of GnRH release in GT1 cells. Both DA and NE stimulated inositol phosphates production in GT1-1 cells with a very low potency and long latency with respect to GnRH secretion. Inositol phosphates production was stimulated by DA and NE only at a concentration of 100 microM, i.e. two to three orders of magnitude higher than the effective concentrations to maximally stimulate GnRH secretion. The effects of both catecholamines do not appear to be secondary to the stimulation of cyclic AMP production, since treatment of GT1-1 cells with forskolin did not affect inositol phosphates production. The effects of DA and NE on inositol phosphates production were blocked by specific antagonists such as SCH-23390, spiroperidol and phentolamine. However, specific dopaminergic agonists such as SKF-38393 and bromocriptine, or adrenergic agonists such as clonidine, methoxamine and isoproterenol were not capable of stimulating inositol phosphates production. Thus, due to the low potency and apparent non-specificity of these effects, we conclude that inositol phosphates production is not involved in the catecholaminergic stimulation of GnRH release.