Prolactin binding in the rat ventral prostate.

Prolactin binding sites have been reported in a variety of tissues that are hormonally responsive to prolactin (PRL). A synergistic effect of PRL and androgens upon the secondary sexual structures of the male rat has been demonstrated. The present study was designed to: 1) determine if there are PRL binding sites in a membrane-rich particulate fraction of the rat ventral prostate: and 2) study the effect of changing the hormonal environment upon this specific PRL binding. The binding of lactoperoxidase iodinated ovine prolactin (I125-PRL) to rat prostatic membrane preparations was assayed by the method of Shiu and Friesen. Serum LH and PRL were measured by radioimmunoassay. The specific binding of I125-PRL that was observed in the prostatic membrane preparation of intact adult male rats was readily displaced by excess unlabelled ovine or rat PRL but not by rat LH or FSH. This binding was decreased by heating or trypsin treatment of the membrane preparation. Tissue specificity was demonstrated in that no specific binding was observed in membrane preparations of lung or spleen from these male rats. Prostatic membrane preparations from adult rats that were castrated for either 4 or 8 days showed a 90% decrease in specific I125-PRL binding while serum PRL values were not changed. Daily subcutaneous administration of testosterone propionate (2.0 mg/rat) to 4-day castrated adult rats resulted in I125-PRL binding comparable to that of intact rats. The data show that a reduction of endogenous androgens results in diminished I125-PRL binding in the ventral prostate of the rat.