PubMed · 2722137
Abnormal dopamine sensitivity in some human prolactinomas.
Abstract
In most of human prolactin (PRL)-secreting adenomas, dopamine and dopamine agonists normally suppress the excessive PRL secretion. Nevertheless, a subpopulation of such patients presents a relative insensitivity to the ergot derivative bromocriptine. Six patients with a macroadenoma (n = 5) or microadenoma (n = 1) were considered resistant to bromocriptine which, at a daily dose of 15-60 mg, did not normalize high plasma PRL levels. Culture studies of these adenoma cells showed that: (1) 10(-8) M bromocriptine produced a 32 +/- 16% inhibition of PRL release versus 65 +/- 12% obtained in the same conditions with normal human pituitary cells; (2) sulpiride (10(-6) M) reversed the inhibitory effects of bromocriptine, and (3) the bacterial endotoxins, cholera toxin (10(-11) M) and pertussis toxin (250 ng/ml), respectively, produced a 45-500% increase and a total abolition of bromocriptine-induced PRL inhibition. These observations and recent data of the literature allow to discuss the possibility of receptor or postreceptor defects in such tumors.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
I Pellegrini, R Costa, F Grisoli, P Jaquet. 1989. Abnormal dopamine sensitivity in some human prolactinomas.. https://doi.org/10.1159/000181081
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.