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Introduction
The past 10 years have witnessed the discovery of a new peptide family, the natriuretic peptides, which may rival the renin-angiotensin system in their contribution to cardiovascular homoeostasis. The first member to be identified and the most intensively studied is atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) (DeBold et al. 1981: Flynn et al. 1983; Oikawa et al. 1984). More recently, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) (Sudoh et al. 1988), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) (Sudoh et al. 1990) and urodilatin (Feller et al. 1989) have been isolated and their amino acid sequences determined (Fig. 1). The structural hallmark of this family is a 17-amino acid ring formed by a disulphide bond. From the functional viewpoint, their biological effects are mediated principally by receptors with integral guanylyl cyclase activity. The term 'natriuretic peptide family' is one of convenience ; recent studies suggest that CNP has little natriuretic activity and in some situations may even be
Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, 2010 Sydney, Australia
University of Waikato, Hamilton 2020, New Zealand
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Mammalian hair growth is cyclic, with hair-producing follicles alternating between active (anagen) and quiescent (telogen) phases. The timing of hair cycles is advanced in prolactin receptor (PRLR) knockout mice, suggesting that prolactin has a role in regulating follicle cycling. In this study, the relationship between profiles of circulating prolactin and the first post-natal hair growth cycle was examined in female Balb/c mice. Prolactin was found to increase at 3 weeks of age, prior to the onset of anagen 1 week later. Expression of PRLR mRNA in skin increased fourfold during early anagen. This was followed by upregulation of prolactin mRNA, also expressed in the skin. Pharmacological suppression of pituitary prolactin advanced dorsal hair growth by 3.5 days. Normal hair cycling was restored by replacement with exogenous prolactin for 3 days. Increasing the duration of prolactin treatment further retarded entry into anagen. However, prolactin treatments, which began after follicles had entered anagen at 26 days of age, did not alter the subsequent progression of the hair cycle. Skin from PRLR-deficient mice grafted onto endocrine-normal hosts underwent more rapid hair cycling than comparable wild-type grafts, with reduced duration of the telogen phase. These experiments demonstrate that prolactin regulates the timing of hair growth cycles in mice via a direct effect on the skin, rather than solely via the modulation of other endocrine factors.
