Prolactin secretion after hypothalamic deafferentation in beef calves: Response to haloperidol, α-methyl-ρ-tyrosine, thyrotropin-releasing hormone and ovariectomy

In ruminant species photoperiod regulates prolactin (PRL) secretion. It is hypothesized that the inhibition of PRL secretion resides in dopaminergic neurons of the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH). To test this hypothesis, anterior (AHD), posterior (PHD) and complete (CHD) hypothalamic deafferentation and sham operation control (SOC) surgeries were carried out during May (long-day photoperiod) in beef heifer calves (6-8 mo old) to measure basal PRL secretion and PRL secretion as affected by intravenous secretagogues. On the day of surgery (day 0), PRL secretion reflected stress of anesthesia and surgery in all groups. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), α-methyl-ρ-tyrosine (αMρT), and haloperidol (HAL) was iv injected on days 11, 13 and 15, respectively. AHD, PHD, CHD, and SOC calves responded to TRH (100 μg) with an acute increase in PRL that peaked within 20 min. All heifers responded to αMρT (10 mg/kg BW) with an acute elevation in PRL within 10 min and remaining elevated for 3 h. HAL (0.1 mg/kg BW) induced an acute increase in PRL secretion in all groups, peaking within 15-30 min. Seven months later (December, short-day photoperiod) these heifers were ovariectomized. Basal plasma PRL levels were seasonally low, PRL secretion in AHD, PHD and CHD animals abruptly increased within 15 min to iv injection of 100 μg TRH to a greater amount than seen in SOC heifers. Although a biphasic effect on PRL secretion entrains under long-day and short-day photoperiods, hypothalamic deafferentation in cattle did not affect the pituitary gland's responsiveness to secretagogues.