Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Dec;25(6):953-966.
doi: 10.1007/s11154-024-09915-8. Epub 2024 Oct 30.

Prolactin: structure, receptors, and functions

Fanny Chasseloup #  1 , Valérie Bernard #  2   3 , Philippe Chanson  4
Affiliations
Review

Prolactin: structure, receptors, and functions

Fanny Chasseloup et al. Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Prolactin (PRL) is a 23-kDa protein synthesized and secreted by lactotroph cells of the anterior pituitary gland but also by other peripheral tissues. PRL binds directly to a unique transmembrane receptor (PRLR), and the JAK2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) pathway is considered the major downstream pathway for PRLR signaling. To a lesser extent, PRL may be cleaved into the shorter 16-kDa PRL, also called vasoinhibin, whose signaling is not fully known. According to rodent models of PRL signaling inactivation and the identification of human genetic alterations in PRL signaling, a growing number of biological processes are partly mediated by PRL or its downstream effectors. In this review, we focused on PRL structure and signaling and its canonical function in reproduction. In addition to regulating reproductive functions, PRL also plays a role in behavior, notably in initiating nurturing and maternal behavior. We also included recent insights into PRL function in several fields, including migraines, metabolic homeostasis, inflammatory and autoimmune disease, and cancer. Despite the complexity of understanding the many functions of PRL, new research in this field offers interesting perspectives on physiological and pathophysiological processes.

Keywords: 16-kDa prolactin; Lactation; Pituitary; Prolactin; Prolactin receptor; Signaling; Vasoinhibin.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: N/A. Informed consent: N/A. Conflict of interest: The Authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

References

    1. Truong AT, Duez C, Belayew A, Renard A, Pictet R, Bell GI, et al. Isolation and characterization of the human prolactin gene. EMBO J. 1984;3(2):429–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1460-2075.1984.tb01824.x . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Horseman ND, Yu-Lee LY. Transcriptional regulation by the helix bundle peptide hormones: growth hormone, prolactin, and hematopoietic cytokines. Endocr Rev. 1994;15(5):627–49. https://doi.org/10.1210/edrv-15-5-627 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Walker AM. S179D prolactin: antagonistic agony! Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2007;276(1–2):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mce.2007.06.001 . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Freeman ME, Kanyicska B, Lerant A, Nagy G. Prolactin: structure, function, and regulation of secretion. Physiol Rev. 2000;80(4):1523–631. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.2000.80.4.1523 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fahie-Wilson M, Smith TP. Determination of prolactin: the macroprolactin problem. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2013;27(5):725–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beem.2013.07.002 . - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources