Prolactin and the development and progression of early neoplastic mammary gland lesions

Chronic suppression of prolactin by 2-bromo-alpha-ergocryptine (CB-154) in young nulliparous or mature multiparous C3H mice sharply suppressed the development of preneoplastic mammary gland lesions (hyperplastic alveolar nodules) and markedly inhibited the progression of these preneoplasias to carcinomas. This effect was also observed in C3H mice treated with either 17beta-estradiol or the oral contraceptive Enovid. Chronic CB-154 induced prolactin suppression was more effective than ovariectomy in the suppression of hyperplastic alveolar nodule development and comparable to ovariectomy in the suppression of mammary carcinoma development. Evidence is also provided indicating that human placental lactogen, a peptide chemically and physiologically similar to prolactin, promotes growth both in vitro (organ culture) and in vivo (athymic "nude" mouse) of the epithelium contained in benign human breast tumors. Whether or not human pituitary prolactin is capable of mimicking the mammotrophic action of human placental lactogen and whether a dysplastic, prolactin-sensitive lesion comparable to hyperplastic alveolar nodules exists in the human breast remains to be determined.