T. Pawelczyk et al., EFFECTS OF TRH, PROLACTIN AND TSH ON CELL-PROLIFERATION IN THE INTERMEDIATE LOBE OF THE RAT PITUITARY-GLAND, Journal of Endocrinology, 148(2), 1996, pp. 193-196
The effect of TRH on cell proliferation in the anterior lobe of the pi
tuitary is well known and documented. On the other hand, there are no
data on the effects of TRH on the intermediate lobe of the pituitary g
land. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TRH and i
ts analogues (pGlu-His-Gly, pGlu-His-Gly-NH2) on cell proliferation in
the intermediate pituitary lobe. The bromodeoxyuridine technique was
used to detect the proliferating cells. It was found that TRH stimulat
ed cell proliferation 24 h after a single injection at a dose of 100 m
u g/kg body weight. The TRH analogues did not exert any significant st
imulatory effect either 12 h or 24 h after the injection. The second e
xperiment was carried out to distinguish the probable mechanism of the
action of TRH. The effects of TSH and prolactin (PRL) on intermediate
lobe cell proliferation were examined. It was found that both PRL and
TSH exerted a significant stimulatory effect 24 h after a single s.c.
injection of PRL at a dose of 150 IU/kg body weight or TSH at a dose
20 IU/kg body weight. It therefore appears that the stimulatory effect
of TRH on intermediate pituitary lobe cell proliferation is mediated
by PRL and TSH.