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Oxytocin enhances the prolactin response to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in healthy women
P Chiodera1, R Volpi, L Capretti
1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Parma, Italy.
Objective:
To establish whether oxytocin modifies the stimulatory effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on prolactin secretion in healthy women.
Design:
Controlled clinical study.
Setting:
Healthy women in an academic research environment.
Patient(S):
Seven healthy women (aged 24-32 years) were tested on the 22nd day of two consecutive normal menstrual cycles.
Intervention(S):
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (4 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) in 50 mL of normal saline infused i.v. for 60 minutes) was administered in either the presence or absence of concurrent treatment with oxytocin (2 IU injected plus 0.07 IU/min infused for 60 minutes).
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Serum prolactin levels.
Result(S):
The administration of VIP induced a significant increase in serum prolactin levels, with a mean peak response 1.6 times higher than baseline at 45 minutes after injection. In the presence of oxytocin, the prolactin response to VIP was significantly higher, with a mean peak response 2 times higher than baseline.
Conclusion(S):
These data suggest that in healthy women, oxytocin facilitates the regulation of the stimulating effect of VIP on prolactin secretion.