Influence of prolactin on pulmonary lipids in mature male bonnet monkey, Macaca radiata.

ABSTRACT

Administration of ovine prolactin (250 micrograms/kg body weight/day) for 30 days to mature male bonnet monkeys increased the pulmonary total lipids and total phospholipids. While total cholesterol did not show any appreciable change in PRL treated monkeys, the ratio of free esterified cholesterols was altered with perceptible decrease in free cholesterol and increase in esterified cholesterol. Pulmonary tissue total glyceride glycerol concentration was diminished as a result of decreased monoacyl, diacyl and triacyl glycerols. Among phospholipid fractions, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol were elevated while phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin were reduced. The data suggest that hyperprolactinemia interferes with pulmonary lipid metabolism in adult monkeys and modifies the ratio of cholesterol and phospholipid composition. Further, hyperprolactinemia appears to favour esterification of cholesterol with specific changes in phospholipid fractions. Thus, the present study demonstrates that hyperprolactinemia modifies the pattern of pulmonary neutral and phospholipid fractions and thereby is likely to affect the structure and function of mature primate lungs.