Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of dopaminergic mechanisms on 24-hour secretory patterns of prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone in recumbent men

  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines the influence of bromocriptine (2.5 mg tid x 4 days) on recumbent 24 hour prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations in 4 males ages 42 to 64 years. Before bromocriptine a clear circadian rhythm of PRL was present. An increase in PRL occurred between 60 to 90 min after sleep onset and this was followed by several larger secretory pulses resulting in progressively higher levels during the night with peak values occurring near the later stages of sleep. During the hour after awakening a fall in PRL began and lowest levels were reached at 11:00 h. Bromocriptine markedly lowered 24-h PRL levels and eliminated the PRL circadian rhythm. LH varied episodically throughout the 24 h, without displaying a circadian rhythm. Following bromocriptine treatment LH was still secreted in an episodic fashion but the amplitude of the LH pulses was decreased. Bromocriptine decreased (p < 0.05) the mean 24 h LH from 12.4 ± 0.7 mlU/ml to 10.5 ± 0.7 mlU/ml. Unlike previous observations in younger men our subjects failed to demonstrate a testosterone circadian rhythm. Rather, testosterone concentrations fluctuated throughout the 24 h. Maximal correlations between testosterone and LH pulses were observed when rises of testosterone were preceded by LH, with a lead time of 30 to 60 min. This temporal relationship between LH and testosterone was eliminated by bromocriptine treatment. There was no relationship between PRL rises and testosterone fluctuations before or after bromocriptine. The 24-h secretory pattern for testosterone was not affected by bromocriptine. These observations suggest the following: i) circadian variations in PRL secretion appear to be modulated by dopaminergic mechanisms; ii) dopamine-induced inhibition of LH secretion in men is primarily associated with a reduction in the amplitude of LH secretory pulses; iii) the 24-h testosterone secretory pattern is not related to PRL secretion or dopaminergic mechanisms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sassin J.F., Frantz A.G., Weitzman E.D., Kapen S. Human prolactin: 24-hour pattern with increased release during sleep. Science 177: 1205, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Nokin J., Vekemans M., L’Hermite M., Robyn C. Circadian periodicity of serum prolactin concentration in man. Br. Med. J. 3: 561, 1972.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Parker D.C., Rossman L.G., Vanderlaan E.F. Sleep-related nyctohemeral and briefly episodic variation in human plasma prolactin concentrations. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36: 1119, 1973.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sassin J.F., Frantz A., Kapen S., Weitzman E.D. The nocturnal rise of human prolactin is dependent on sleep. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 37: 436, 1973.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Parker D.C., Rossman L.G., Vanderlaan E.F. Relation of sleep entrained human prolactin release to REM-non-REM cycles. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 38: 464, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Shaar C.J., Clemens J.A. The role of catecholamines in the release of anterior pituitary prolactin in vitro. Endocrinology 95: 1202, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ben-Jonathan N. Catecholamines and pituitary prolactin release. J. Reprod. Fert. 58: 501, 1980.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schally A.V., Arimuar A., Baba Y., Nair R.M.G., Matsuo T., Redding W., Debeljuk L., White W.R. Isolation and properties of FSH and LH-releasing neurons. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 43: 393, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Franchimont P., Roulier P. Gonadotropin secretion in male subjects In: Martini L., Besser G.M. (Eds.), Clinical neuroendocrinology. Academic Press, New York, 1977, p. 197.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Löfström A., Jonsson G., Wiesel F.A., Fuxe K. Microfluorimetric quantitation of catecholamine fluorescence in rat median eminence. II Turnover changes in hormonal states. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 24: 430, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. McNeill T.H., Sladek Jr. J.R. Fluorescence-immunocytochemistry: simultaneous localization of catecholamines and gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Science 200: 72, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fuxe K., Anderson K., Löfström A., Hökfelt T., Feland L., Agnati L.F., Perez de La Mora M., Schwarcz A. Neurotransmitter mechanism in the control of secretion of hormones from anterior pituitary. In: Fuxe K., Hökfelt T., Luft R. (Eds.), Central regulation of the endocrine system. Plenum Press, New York, 1979, p. 349.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Nankin H.R., Troen P. Repetitive luteinizing hormone elevations in serum of normal men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 33: 558, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Santen R.J., Bardin C.W. Episodic luteinizing hormone secretion in man: pulse analysis, clinical interpretation, physiologic mechanism. J. Clin. Invest. 52: 2617, 1973.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Alford F.P., Baker H.W.G., Patel Y.C., Rennie G.C., Youatt G., Burr H.C., Hudson B. Temporal patterns of circulating hormone assessed by continuous blood sampling. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36: 108, 1973.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rubin R.T., Gouin P.R., Kales A., Odell W.D. Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and growth hormone secretion in normal adult men during sleep and dreaming. Psychosom. Med. 35: 309, 1973.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Santen R.J., Ruby E.B. Enhanced frequency and magnitude of episodic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone discharge as a hypothalamic mechanism for increased luteinizing hormone secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 48: 315, 1979.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schuiling G.A., Gnodde H.P. Site of origin of the pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone in long term ovariectomized rats. J. Endocrinol. 70: 97, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Neil J.D., Patton J.M., Dailey R.A., Tsou R.C., Tindall G.T. Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone(LHRH) in pituitary stalk blood of rhesus monkeys: relationship to level of LH release. Endocrinology 707: 430, 1977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Carmel P.W., Araki S., Ferin M. Pituitary stalk portal blood collection in rhesus monkeys: Evidence for pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Endocrinology 99: 243, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Huseman C.A., Kugler J.A., Schnieder I.G. Mechanism of dopaminergic suppression of gonadotropin secretion in men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 51: 209, 1980.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Faiman C., Winter J.S.D. Diurnal cycles in plasma FSH, testosterone and Cortisol in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 33: 186, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rose R.M., Kreuz L.E., Holaday J.W., Sulak K.J., Johnson C.E. Diurnal variation of plasma testosterone and cortisol. J. Endocrinol. 54: 177, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Piro C., Fraioli F., Sciarra F., Conti C. Circadian rhythm of plasma testosterone, cortisol and gonadotropins in normal male subjects. J. Steroid Biochem. 4: 321, 1973.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Judd H.L., Parker D.C., Rakoff J.S., Hopper B.R., Yen S.S.C. Elucidation of mechanism(s) of the nocturnal rise of testosterone in men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36: 134, 1973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Rowe P.H., Lincoln G.A., Racey P.A., Lehane J., Stephenson M.J., Shenton J.C., Glover T.D. Temporal variations of testosterone levels in the peripheral blood plasma of men. J. Endocrinol. 67: 63, 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Leymarie P., Roger M., Castanier M., Schollar R. Circadian variations of plasma testosterone and estrogens in normal men. A study by frequent sampling. J. Steroid Biochem. 5: 167, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Smals A.G.H., Kloppenborg P.W.C., Benraad T.J. Diurnal plasma testosterone rhythm and the effect of short-term ACTH administration on plasma testosterone in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 38: 608, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rowe P.H., Racey P.A., Lincoln G.A., Ellwood M., Lehane J., Shenton J.C. The temporal relationship between the secretion of luteinizing hormone and testosterone in man. J. Endocrinol. 64: 17, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Rubin R.T., Gouin P.R., Lubin A., Poland R.E., Pirke K.M. Nocturnal increase of plasma testosterone in men: relation to gonadotrophs and prolactin. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 40: 1027, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Mikatake A., Morimoto Y., Oishi T., Hanasaki N., Sugita Y., Iijima S., Teshima Y., Hishikawa Y., Yamamura Y. Circadian rhythm of serum testosterone and its relation to sleep: comparison with the variation in serum luteinizing hormone, prolactin, and Cortisol in normal men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 57: 1365, 1980.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Rubin R.T., Poland R.E., Tower B.B. Prolactin-related testosterone secretion in normal adult men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42: 112, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Rubin R.T., Poland R.E., Sowers J.R., Hershman J.M. Influence of methyl-TRH-induced prolactin increase on serum testosterone levels in normal adult men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 46: 830, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Jacobs L.S., Mendelson W.B., Rubin R.T., Bareman J.E. Failure of nocturnal prolactin suppression by methy-sergide to entrain changes in testosterone in normal men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 46: 561, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Stene M., Panagiotis N., Tuck M.L., Sowers J.R., Mayes D., Berg G. Plasma norepinephrine levels are influnced by sodium intake, glucocorticoid administration and circadian changes in normal man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 51: 1340, 1980.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Sowers J.R., Hershman J.M., Skowsky W.R., Carlson H.E., Park J. Osmotic control of the release of prolactin and thyrotropin in human subjects and patients with pituitary tumors. Metabolism 26: 187, 1977.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Sowers J.R., Fayez J. Effect of dexamethasone on gonatropin responsiveness to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and clomi-phene in women with secondary amenorrhea. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 134: 325, 1979.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Abraham G.E., Manlimos F.S., Garza R. Radioimmunoassay of steroids. In: Abraham G.E. (Ed.), Handbook of radioimmunoassay. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1977, p. 591.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Radfar N., Ansusingha K., Kenny F.M. Circulating bound and free estradiol and estrone during normal growth and development and in premature the-larche and isosexual precocity. J.Pediatr. 89: 719, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Smolensky M.H., Tatar S.E., Berman S.A. Circadian rhythmhic aspects of human cardiovascular function: a review of chronobiologic statistical methods. Cronobiologia 3: 337, 1976.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Halberg F., Carandente F., Cornelissen G., Katinas G.S. Glossary of chronobiology. Int. Soc. Chronobiol. 4, (Suppl. 1), 81, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Judd S.J., Rakoff J.S., Yen S.S.C. Inhibition of gonadotropin and prolactin release by dopamine: effect of endogenous estradiol levels. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 47: 494, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Leebaw W.F., Lee L.A., Woolf P.D. Dopamine affects basal and augmented pituitary hormone secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 47: 480, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Wuttke W., Cassell E., Meites J. Effects of ergocornine on serum PRL and LH, and on hypothalamic content of PIF and LRF. Endocrinology 88: 737, 1971.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Seki M., Seki S., Yoshihara T., Watanabe N., Okumura T., Tajima C., Huang S.Y., Kuo C.C. Direct inhibition of pituitary LH secretion in rats by CB-154 (2-Br-α-ergocryptine). Endocrinology 94: 911, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Bremmer W.J., Printz P.N. The diurnal rhythm in testosterone levels is lost with aging in normal men. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, Cincinnati, June 17–19, 1981, Abstract 480.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Stanik S., Dornfeld L.P., Maxwell M.H., Viosca S.P., Korenman S.G. The effect of weight loss on reproductive hormones in obese men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 53: 828, 1981.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Ziegler M.G., Lake C.R., Williams A.C., Teychenne P.F., Shoulson I., Steinsland O. Bromocriptine inhibits norepinephrine release. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 25: 137, 1979.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Whitfield L., Sowers J.R., Tuck M.L., Golub M.S. Dopaminergic control of plasma catecholamine and aldosterone responses to acute stimuli in normal man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 51: 724, 1980.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Gibson A., Samini M. Bromocriptine as a potent alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonist in the perfused mesenteric blood vessels of the rat. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 30: 314, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, 23249, USA

    J. R. Sowers M.D.

  2. UCLA-San Fernando Valley Program and VA Medical Center, 16111 Plummer Street, Sepulveda, Ca, 91343, USA

    S. P. Viosca, C. Windsor & S. G. Korenman

Authors
  1. J. R. Sowers M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. P. Viosca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Windsor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. G. Korenman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This work was supported by the U.S. VA Research and Education Program.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sowers, J.R., Viosca, S.P., Windsor, C. et al. Influence of dopaminergic mechanisms on 24-hour secretory patterns of prolactin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone in recumbent men. J Endocrinol Invest 6, 9–15 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350554

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350554

Key-words

Search

Navigation