In the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) serum PRL increases in pregnant bitches shortly after RLN appears in the circulation, and a possible functional relationship between the RLN and the PRL systems in regulating progesterone secretion has been implied.
Bromocriptine, a dopamine analog that suppresses PRL secretion, was associated with decreased lupus activity, prolonged lifespan, and restoration of immune competence in experimental model.
This preliminary study examined the relevance of a -1149G/T functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs1341239) in the promoter of the extrapituitary prolactin gene in a cohort of African American and European American women with lupus.
The female hormone prolactin has receptors beyond the reproductive axis including immune cells, and it is thought to promote autoimmunity in human and murine lupus.
To assess the bioactivity of circulating prolactin (PRL) in serum samples from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using 2 novel homologous in vitro bioassays, and to correlate PRL bioactivity with lupus activity.