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Possible chondroregulatory role of prolactin on the tibial growth plate of lactating rats

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Abstract

Besides calcium accretion in the cortical envelope, a marked increase in the length of long bone was observed in pregnant and lactating rats, and thus the growth plate change was anticipated. Since several bone changes, such as massive trabecular bone resorption in late lactation, were found to be prolactin (PRL)-dependent, PRL may also be responsible for the maternal bone elongation. Herein, we investigated the growth plate change and possible chondroregulatory roles of PRL in the tibiae of rats at mid-pregnancy until 15 days postweaning. We found that the tibial length of lactating rats was increased and was inversely correlated with the total growth plate height, as well as the heights of proliferating zone (PZ) and hypertrophic zone (HZ), but not the resting zone (RZ). Chondrocytes in all zones expressed PRL receptors as visualized by immunohistochemistry, suggesting that the growth plate cartilage was a target of PRL action. Further investigations in lactating rats treated with an inhibitor of pituitary PRL release, bromocriptine, with or without PRL supplement, revealed the PRL-induced decreases in total growth plate height and HZ height from early to late lactation. However, decreases in RZ and PZ heights were observed only in late and mid-lactation, respectively. Thus, this was the first report on the chondroregulatory action of PRL on the growth plate of long bone in lactating rats. The results provided better understanding of the maternal bone adaptation during lactation.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the King Prajadhipok and Queen Rambhai Barni Memorial Foundation (to P. Suntornsaratoon), the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Mahidol University (to P. Suntornsaratoon), and the Thailand Research Fund (RSA5180001 to N. Charoenphandhu).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consortium for Calcium and Bone Research (COCAB), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

    Panan Suntornsaratoon, Kannikar Wongdee, Nateetip Krishnamra & Narattaphol Charoenphandhu

  2. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

    Panan Suntornsaratoon, Nateetip Krishnamra & Narattaphol Charoenphandhu

  3. Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, 20131, Thailand

    Kannikar Wongdee

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  1. Panan Suntornsaratoon
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  2. Kannikar Wongdee
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  3. Nateetip Krishnamra
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  4. Narattaphol Charoenphandhu
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Correspondence to Narattaphol Charoenphandhu.

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Suntornsaratoon, P., Wongdee, K., Krishnamra, N. et al. Possible chondroregulatory role of prolactin on the tibial growth plate of lactating rats. Histochem Cell Biol 134, 483–491 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-010-0745-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-010-0745-3

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