This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by ISHIZUKA, B. Articles by YEN, S. S. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by ISHIZUKA, B. Articles by YEN, S. S. C.

Pituitary Hormone Release in Response to Food Ingestion: Evidence for Neuroendocrine Signals from Gut to Brain^*

B. ISHIZUKA, M. E. QUIGLEY and S. S. C. YEN

Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine (T-002) La Jolla, California 92093

The synchrony of PRL and cortisol release with feeding is now well established. To delineate further the neuroendocrine mechanisms involved, meal-related pituitary and adrenal cortical activities were investigated in seven normal men in a series of experiments conducted in random sequence at 1-week intervals. Ingestion of a standardized mixed meal elicited a consistent acute release of PRL and cortisol at noon (1200 h), but not at breakfast (0800 h). No measurable changes in other pituitary hormones were observed. The relative magnitudes of PRL and cortisol release in response to lunch were not significantly influenced by a preceding breakfast. These responses appear unrelated to the cephalic or oral phases of food ingestion. However, the composition of the meals was found to be important. Whereas carbohydrate meals had no discernible effects, high protein meals induced a large increase in both PRL and cortisol; high fat meals caused selective release of PRL. Ingestion of L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan induced remarkable increments in serum concentrations of both PRL and cortisol, suggesting that these essential amino acids may be active components of the high protein meal. Choline had no effect. Meal-mediated PRL and cortisol release was unaffected by prior receptor blockade of the opioidergic and cholinergic systems with naloxone and atropine, respectively.

These observations indicate that the protein component of the meal was responsible for the midday surges of PRL and cortisol and that the cephalic-vagal pathway was not required in food-entrained pituitary hormone release. Further, our data suggest that the neurotransmitter substrates in the protein meal may serve to link the gut and brain by modifying central catecholamine and serotonin biosynthesis, and thereby influence the hypothalamic factors controlling pituitary PRL and ACTH secretion. The possibility that gastrointestinal hormones may also influence the hypothalamic-pituitary system remains to be explored.

^* This work was supported by NIH Grant HD-12303 and was conducted in part by Clayton Foundations for Research, California Division, and the UCSD General Clinical Research Center (NIH Grant RR-00827).

Former Research Fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology, supported by the Ford Foundation. Present address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Marianna University, School of Medicine 2095, Sugao, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki, Japan.

Clinical Associate Physician General Clinical Research Center, UCSD.

Investigator, Clayton Foundation. To whom all correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received January 24, 1983.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. M. Reynolds, K. M. Godfrey, M. Barker, C. Osmond, and D. I. W. Phillips Stress Responsiveness in Adult Life: Influence of Mother's Diet in Late Pregnancy J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2007; 92(6): 2208 - 2210. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Tworoger, A. H. Eliassen, P. Sluss, and S. E. Hankinson A Prospective Study of Plasma Prolactin Concentrations and Risk of Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., April 20, 2007; 25(12): 1482 - 1488. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Porter, P. Gallagher, and J. T. O'Brien Effects of rapid tryptophan depletion on salivary cortisol in older people recovered from depression, and the healthy elderly J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 2007; 21(1): 71 - 75. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. S. Tworoger, P. Sluss, and S. E. Hankinson Association between Plasma Prolactin Concentrations and Risk of Breast Cancer among Predominately Premenopausal Women Cancer Res., February 15, 2006; 66(4): 2476 - 2482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. S. Maheu, R. Joober, and S. J. Lupien Declarative Memory after Stress in Humans: Differential Involvement of the {beta}-Adrenergic and Corticosteroid Systems J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2005; 90(3): 1697 - 1704. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Benedict, M. Hallschmid, J. Scheibner, D. Niemeyer, B. Schultes, V. Merl, H. L. Fehm, J. Born, and W. Kern Gut Protein Uptake and Mechanisms of Meal-Induced Cortisol Release J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2005; 90(3): 1692 - 1696. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Katoh, G Furukawa, K Kitade, N Katsumata, Y Kobayashi, and Y Obara Postprandial changes in plasma GH and insulin concentrations, and responses to stimulation with GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and GHRP-6 in calves around weaning J. Endocrinol., December 1, 2004; 183(3): 497 - 505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Tworoger, A. H. Eliassen, B. Rosner, P. Sluss, and S. E. Hankinson Plasma Prolactin Concentrations and Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Cancer Res., September 15, 2004; 64(18): 6814 - 6819. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Lanfranco, R. Giordano, M. Pellegrino, L. Gianotti, J. Ramunni, A. Picu, M. Baldi, E. Ghigo, and E. Arvat Free Fatty Acids Exert an Inhibitory Effect on Adrenocorticotropin and Cortisol Secretion in Humans J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2004; 89(3): 1385 - 1390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Vicennati, L. Ceroni, L. Gagliardi, A. Gambineri, and R. Pasquali Response of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Axis to High-Protein/Fat and High-Carbohydrate Meals in Women with Different Obesity Phenotypes J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2002; 87(8): 3984 - 3988. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Reynolds, B. R. Walker, H. E. Syddall, C. B. Whorwood, P. J. Wood, and D. I. W. Phillips Elevated Plasma Cortisol in Glucose-Intolerant Men: Differences in Responses to Glucose and Habituation to Venepuncture J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2001; 86(3): 1149 - 1153. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. Lacroix, N. N'Diaye, J. Tremblay, and P. Hamet Ectopic and Abnormal Hormone Receptors in Adrenal Cushing's Syndrome Endocr. Rev., February 1, 2001; 22(1): 75 - 110. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. D. Fernstrom Pituitary Hormone Secretion in Normal Male Humans: Acute Responses to a Large, Oral Dose of Monosodium Glutamate J. Nutr., April 1, 2000; 130(4): 1053 - 1053. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. E. Hankinson, W. C. Willett, D. S. Michaud, J. E. Manson, G. A. Colditz, C. Longcope, B. Rosner, and F. E. Speizer Plasma Prolactin Levels and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women J Natl Cancer Inst, April 7, 1999; 91(7): 629 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. L. Gibson, S. Checkley, A. Papadopoulos, L. Poon, S. Daley, and J. Wardle Increased Salivary Cortisol Reliably Induced by a Protein-Rich Midday Meal Psychosom Med, March 1, 1999; 61(2): 214 - 224. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. H. Kaye, C. G. Greeno, H. Moss, J. Fernstrom, M. Fernstrom, L. R. Lilenfeld, T. E. Weltzin, and J. J. Mann Alterations in Serotonin Activity and Psychiatric Symptoms After Recovery From Bulimia Nervosa Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 1998; 55(10): 927 - 935. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Leibenluft, P. L. Fiero, and D. R. Rubinow Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Dependent Variables in Mood Disorder Research Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 1994; 51(10): 761 - 781. [Abstract] [PDF]