L-DOPA affects apoptosis and proliferation of anterior pituitary cells

OGANDO MORA; ZÁRATE SANDRA; MAGRI LAURA; GOTTARDO MARÍA FLORENCIA; JAITA GABRIELA; EIJO GUADALUPE; SEILICOVICH ADRIANA; FERRARIS JIMENA; PISERA DANIEL

San Francisco

Congreso; 95th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society; 2013

L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is released by hypothalamic neurons. Even though L-DOPA is one of the main drugs used as a treatment for Parkinson?s disease, there are not systematic studies about the possible effects of this drug on anterior pituitary function, which can be clinically relevant. We investigated L-DOPA effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of anterior pituitary cells. Our hypothesis is that L-DOPA produces direct effects on anterior pituitary function, including the modulation of proliferation and apoptosis processes. Administration of L-DOPA to ovariectomized female rats (50 mg/kg i.p., 6 h) increased the percentage of hypodiploid anterior pituitary cells (determined by FACS) (% Sub G0-G1, media ± SEM. Control (C): 9.72 ± 0.65; L-DOPA: 12.94 ± 0.56, p