Prolactin plasma levels and its size heterogeneity in acutely uremic rats.

The size distribution pattern of circulating rPRL was studied in intact control (C) rats and in three uremic models, namely urine autoinfusion (UA), bilateral ureteral ligation (BUL), and bilateral nephrectomy (BNx). Plasmas were chromatographed by gel filtration in Sephadex G-100. Rat PRL was measured by RIA. The rPRL levels as well as the size distribution pattern of UA were similar to that of C. BUL and BNx showed a similar degree of hyperprolactinemia which corresponded to an increase in little rPRL. The results suggest that acute uremic hyperprolactinemia seems to be the result of accumulation of little rPRL. Acute uremia by itself does not increase rPRL plasma levels nor does it seem to affect the size distribution pattern of circulating rPRL.