Some biochemical events following the binding of prolactin (PRL) to its rec
eptor in normal human leukocytes were investigated. PRL enhanced JAK2 phosp
horylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) but not in granuloc
ytes. PRL also induced phosphorylation of Stat-5 in PBMC and Stat-1 in gran
ulocytes. Subsequent binding of Stat-5- and of Stat-l-like molecules to a G
AS responsive element from the P-casein promoter was detected by EMSA. p38
MAPK (but not p42/p44 MAPK) was activated by PRL in both leukocyte populati
ons. PRL induced NOS and CIS mRNA expression in granulocytes. Increased exp
ression of IRF-1 and SOCS-2 was observed in granulocytes and of SOCS-3 and
NOS in PBMC. Similar effects were obtained with ovine and human PRL. Antise
rum to PRL reduced NOS and IRF-1 expression induced by PRL in granulocytes
and reduced iNOS expression in PBMC. Also, pretreatment of granulocytes wit
h a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB 203580) prevented in part PRL-induced NOS and IR
F-1 expression. In PBMC, the p38 inhibitor decreased PRL-induced NOS gene e
xpression. These results indicate that PRL-induced gene regulation in leuko
cytes requires the activation of at least two different pathways: the Stat
and the MAP kinase pathways. Moreover, although PRL activates Stat in both
leukocyte types, signal transduction is different in granulocytes and in PB
MC. Most importantly, PRL modulates the expression of genes crucial to leuk
ocyte function. The present findings reinforce the concept that PRL has "cy
tokine- like" activity in human leukocytes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.
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