The iv infusion of parathyroid extract or the synthetic fragments of 1-34 bovine or human parathyroid hormone produced a rapid and marked increase of plasma PRL in normal subjects. The stimulation of the release of endogenous parathyroid hormone by administration of disodium EDTA also resulted in a parallel increase of plasma PRL. Parathyroid hormone did not act via plasma cAMP, as the plasma level reached by this nucleotide was too small to produce PRL release. The ingestion of L-dopa 2 h before parathyroid hormone infusion suppressed the PRL response, suggesting that dopamine and parathyroid hormone interact at a common site. As it has been recently shown that PRL stimulates the renal synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, the present data suggest that the effect of parathyroid hormone on this synthesis may be due to the increase in plasma PRL.

Plasma PRL fell in nine healthy subjects and four patients with hyperprolactinemia after iv administration of salmon calcitonin (CT). The maximum fall was observed 30--60 min after the infusion. There was no change in the plasma concentrations of the other anterior pituitary hormones tested (GH, FSH, LH, and TSH). In five healthy subjects, TRH was injected 60 min after the CT infusion. This protocol was repeated in the same subjects at 3-day intervals, except CT was not administered. Plasma PRL before TRH injection was clearly lower when CT had been administered. Plasma concentrations of the other anterior pituitary hormones did not change. PRL and TSH responses to TRH were markedly inhibited when CT had been previously infused. These observations are in agreement with preceeding studies showing a similar effect of CT on the plasma concentration of various other polypeptide hormones. This general effect of CT could be attributed to a change in intracellular calcium of the secreting cells.

Plasma adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), cortisol and aldosterone increased during and after iv administration of calcium gluconate in 4 normal subjects, one patient with hypoparathyroidism and one patient with hypothyroidism. On the other hand, there was a decrease in plasma renin activity but only in the normal subjects.Plasma ACTH and cortisol responses to calcium were abolished whereas plasma aldosterone response persisted in 2 normal subjects pre-treated with dexamethasone.The results observed after calcium administration were compared to those observed after infusion of the solvent only in 6 normal subjects and 4 thyroidectomized patients who were studied twice at 3 day intervals. Plasma ACTH, cortisol and aldosterone were higher when calcium was administered. Plasma renin activity was not statistically different whether or not calcium had been injected in the subjects studied twice. These results demonstrate a direct effect of calcium on ACTH and aldosterone secretion which is not mediated by calcitonin and parathyroid hormone. The stimulatory effect of calcium on cortisol secretion depends on the increase in plasma ACTH.