Plasma gonadotropin, prolactin levels and hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase activity following intraventricular bombesin and secretin in ovariectomized conscious rats.

Plasma gonadotropins, prolactin and hypothalamic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity were evaluated at 15 and 30 min after third ventricular injection of bombesin at doses of 100 or 1000 ng and secretin at doses of 1000 and 5000 ng in ovariectomized (OVX) unanesthetized rats. Bombesin had no effect on plasma gonadotropin levels. Intraventricular injection of either 100 or 1000 ng dose of bombesin significantly suppressed prolactin levels with parallel elevation in hypothalamic TH activity and there appears to be no dose response relationship. Secretin at 1000 ng dose, significantly lowered plasma LH and PRL levels and elevated hypothalamic TH activity whereas a 5000 ng dose increased PRL concentrations but had no effect on gonadotropin levels and hypothalamic TH activity. Bombesin appears to be a potent inhibitor of PRL release in OVX, conscious rats and this effect may be mediated via hypothalamic dopamine. Lower dose of secretin appears to inhibit PRL release by possibly activating the hypothalamic dopaminergic system, while at higher dose peripheral activation results in enhanced prolactin release.