# HYPERPROLACTINEMIA AND MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS

> **NIH NIH R01** · SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE · 1994 · $112,670

## Abstract

In contrast to the stimulatory or permissive effects of growth hormone
(GH) on sexual development and adult gonadal function, excessive
secretion of GH in the human is associated with reproductive impairments
including amenorrhea and impotence.  Experimentally-induced GH excess in
transgenic mice is associated with severe deficits of male sexual
behavior.  In the proposed studies, several potential mechanisms of the
suppressive effects of GH on male copulatory behavior will be examined.
The relationship between  plasma GH levels and male copulatory behavior
will be examined.  The relationship between plasma GH levels and male
copulatory behavior will be examined in two lines of transgenic mice in
which expression of the bGH gene will be enhanced or suppressed (by heavy
metal supplement, and altered diet, respectively) and in genetically
normal mice chronically infused with bGH. The possible involvement of
altered adrenocortical or testicular function in mediating the effects
of GH on behavior will be assessed in studies of adrenalectomized and
castrated animals given corticosterone or testosterone replacement.  The
effects of chronic GH excess on neuronal groups involved in perception
of stimuli will be evaluated by studies of the "early gene," c-fos
expression in different areas of the olfactory lobes and the hypothalamus
after exposure of transgenic and normal control males to a novel female.
The possible involvement of altered forebrain dopaminergic transmission,
including the dopaminergic "reward system"  in mediating the effects of
GH on male copulatory behavior will be evaluated in transgenic and normal
males treated with agonists or antagonists of dopamine receptors.  To
determine whether the effects of GH on sexual behavior observed in the
mouse may apply also to other species, comparative studies will be
conducted in GH-treated male rats and hamsters.

To determine whether the effects of excessive GH levels on copulatory
behavior in transgenic and normal animals are related to the
physiological role of the normally released amounts of this hormone, the
effects of GH replacement on sexual behavior will be studied in
hypophysectomized animals, in animals with hereditary GH deficiency and
in animals with experimentally-induced suppression of GH release or
action. The results of this research will be pertinent to understanding
the reproductive and sexual dysfunction in patients with acromegaly, and
the potential side effects of GH treatment during maturation,
convalescence and aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2197927
- **Project number:** 2R01HD020001-09
- **Recipient organization:** SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY CARBONDALE
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Y28BEBJ4MNU7
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrzej Bartke
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $112,670
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1984-07-01 → 1998-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2197927

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2197927, HYPERPROLACTINEMIA AND MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS (2R01HD020001-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2197927. Licensed CC0.

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