The possible role of prolactin in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system characterized by multiple areas of inflammation and demyelination in the white matter of brain and spinal cord. A complex mechanism of the immunopathogenesis of the disease involves mononuclear cells infiltrating multiple sclerosis plaques, as well numerous cell products, such as interleukins, interferons, certain growth factors, etc. Some recent studies have emphasized the immunoregulatory role of certain neuroendocrine peptides, including prolactin. Prolactin, a hypophyseal hormone which is also produced by activated immunocytes, has been considered in this work as a co-factor participating in the immunopathogenic mechanism of multiple sclerosis.