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During development of the rat anterior pituitary gland (APG) there is a fall in DNA replication which is accompanied by a decline in the activity of the soluble DNA polymerase and of an endonuclease. This latter enzyme is capable of activating the DNA template for the DNA polymerase assay. Sulpiride sulfate, a drug known to produce prolactin release from the APG, increases thymidine incorporation in the APG 20 h after the injection. This drug also enhances the activity of the soluble DNA polymerase while that of the endonuclease and thymidine kinase does not change. The results suggest that the intracellular prolactin content regulates DNA replication in mammotrophs and that the soluble DNA polymerase plays an important role in this regulation.

Sulpiride administration to rats releases prolactin and increases DNA replication in the anterior pituitary gland. Clomiphene prevents the stimulation of DNA synthesis produced by sulpiride, but does not affect prolactin release from the gland. These findings suggest that the intracellular prolactin content of the anterior pituitary gland plays a role in the regulation of DNA synthesis through a mechanism mediated by oestrogens.

The administration of haloperidol increased serum prolactin and decreased the pituitary concentration of prolactin 15 min after its administration. Concomitantly there was a stimulation in the synthesis of DNA and the activity of DNA polymerase alpha in the anterior pituitary gland that was greater in oestrogenized than in non-oestrogenized male rats. Both these effects were greatly reduced by clomiphene in the oestrogenized male rats, although it did not affect the release of prolactin produced by haloperidol. In non-oestrogenized animals clomiphene abolished the stimulatory effect of haloperidol on the synthesis of DNA. These results suggest that the reduction in the intracellular levels of prolactin are a primary event in the oestrogen mediated stimulation of cell proliferation by prolactin releasing agents.