Effects of estradiol on prolactin and growth hormone messenger RNAs in cultured normal and neoplastic (MtT/W15 and GH3) rat pituitary cells.

The effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E17 beta) on prolactin (PRL) cell proliferation and on the expression of PRL and growth hormone (GH) proteins and mRNAs were analyzed in cultured pituitary cells by immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and Northern blot hybridization studies. Three different cell cultures were used: (a) normal pituitary cells; (b) GH3 tumor cell line; and (c) MtT/W15, a transplantable PRL and GH-producing pituitary tumor. E17 beta (10(-7) M) caused a significant increase in PRL cell proliferation in normal pituitary [3.9 +/- 0.4 versus 7.7 +/- 0.9% (SEM) of immunostained PRL cells with thymidine incorporation] [P less than 0.01] but produced a significant decrease in PRL cell proliferation in MtT/W15 primary cell cultures [6.7 +/- 1.0 versus 3.7 +/- 0.8%] [P less than 0.05]. PRL mRNA was significantly increased in normal pituitary and in GH3 tumor cells by E17 beta treatment. There was a significant decrease in PRL mRNA and an increase in GH mRNA expression in cultured MtT/W15 tumor cells by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization analyses. The percentage of cells producing both PRL and GH or mammosomatotropic cells analyzed by two different techniques declined after one week in culture in normal pituitary cells and in cultured MtT/W15 tumor cells after E17 beta treatment. These results show that E17 beta has a direct stimulatory effect on normal pituitary and GH3 cells and a direct inhibitory effect on MtT/W15 tumor cells with respect to cell proliferation and PRL hormone and mRNA expression.