Stress-induced secretion of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and its physiological role in modulating the secretion of prolactin and luteinizing hormone in the female rat.

The pattern of alpha MSH release during immobilization stress in ovariectomized rats was determined and correlated with that of plasma PRL and LH. Stress induced a marked elevation in plasma immunoreactive alpha MSH, with a time course identical to that of plasma PRL. The increment in plasma PRL was greater than that in plasma alpha MSH. Plasma LH was markedly lowered by stress. Analysis of pituitary and hypothalamic alpha MSH indicated a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in the neurointermediate lobe and anterior lobe content of alpha MSH. The alpha MSH content in the hypothalamus was lowered by stress when expressed as tissue content (P less than 0.025), although no significant differences in content in this area were detected when the results were expressed in terms of tissue protein. Stress induced a marked increase (P less than 0.01) in the median eminence levels of alpha MSH. Intraventricular (third ventricle) injection of the gamma-globulin fraction of a specific antiserum raised against alpha MSH increased basal PRL levels (P less than 0.025) and prevented the decline in plasma PRL that occurred 60 min after the onset of stress in the normal rabbit serum-injected rats. The stress-induced suppression of plasma LH was attenuated and delayed by the administration of alpha MSH antibodies. In conclusion, alpha MSH of brain origin is released during stress and is involved in lowering plasma PRL to basal levels and producing a partial suppression of plasma LH.