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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Indirect Immunofluorescence on Frozen Sections of Mouse Mammary Gland
Published on: December 1, 2015
Regulation of Ca2+ mobilization by prolactin in mammary gland cells: possible role of secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase
Utchariya Anantamongkol1, Haruo Takemura, Tuangporn Suthiphongchai
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Abstract:
Regulatory role of prolactin (PRL) on Ca2+ mobilization in human mammary gland cell line MCF-7 was examined. Direct addition of PRL did not affect cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i); however, treatment with PRL for 24h significantly decreased the peak level and duration time of [Ca2+]i elevation evoked by ATP or thapsigargin (TG). Intracellular Ca2+ release by IP3 or TG in permeablized cells was not decreased after PRL-treatment, indicating that the Ca2+ release was not impaired by PRL treatment. Extracellular Ca2+ entry evoked by ATP or TG was likely to be intact, because entry of extracellular Ba2+ was not affected by PRL treatment. Among Ca2+-ATPases expressed in MCF-7 cells, we found significant increase of secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPase type 2 (SPCA2) mRNA in PRL-treated cells by RT-PCR experiments including quantitative RT-PCR. Knockdown of SPCA2 by siRNA in PRL-treated cells showed similar Ca2+ mobilization to that in PRL-untreated cells. The present results suggest that PRL facilitates Ca2+ transport into Golgi apparatus and may contribute the supply of Ca2+ to milk.
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