The Prolactin Receptor as a Therapeutic Target in Human Diseases: Exploring New Potential Indications

June 2015 in “ Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets ”

Vincent Goffin, Philippe Touraine

prolactin receptor PRLR inhibitors PRL-core based analogs anti-PRLR neutralizing antibodies hair loss

Studysummary This review explores potential indications for prolactin receptor inhibitors beyond breast and prostate cancers, emphasizing the need for potent antibodies to further research prolactin receptor expression. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document reviews the potential of prolactin receptor (PRLR) inhibitors as therapeutic targets for a variety of human diseases, including breast and prostate cancers, hyperprolactinemia, benign breast diseases, endometriosis, contraception, gastrointestinal and hematologic tumors, leukemia, hair loss, pain management, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). It discusses two classes of PRLR blockers, PRL-core based analogs and anti-PRLR neutralizing antibodies, and their current status in clinical Phase I trials. The review emphasizes the complexity of PRL effects, the need for potent and validated anti-PRLR antibodies for accurate mapping of PRLR expression, and the challenges in patient stratification. It also highlights the economic and medical implications of developing such treatments, the importance of functionally validated PRLR blockers, and the high cost of clinical trials. The document suggests that while PRL and PRLR are promising therapeutic targets, more research is needed to confirm these indications and to overcome the challenges in developing effective treatments.

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Research cited in this study

6 / 6 results

research Calcineurin/NFATc1 Signaling Links Skin Stem Cell Quiescence to Hormonal Signaling During Pregnancy and Lactation

40 citations , April 2014 in “Genes & Development”

The researchers reported that in mice, prolactin signaling in the skin epithelium inhibits hair follicle stem cell activation, promoting quiescence during periods of high serum prolactin like pregnancy and lactation.

research Hair Loss and Hyperprolactinemia in Women

19 citations , January 2012 in “Dermato-endocrinology”

This study suggests that moderate elevated prolactin levels are unlikely to cause significant hair loss in women, but still warrant further diagnostic investigation to rule out a prolactin-producing pituitary tumor.

research Prolactin: An Emerging Force Along the Cutaneous–Endocrine Axis

51 citations , July 2010 in “Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism”

This review discusses prolactin production and regulation in human skin and hair follicles, highlighting its potential broader implications but reports no new empirical results.

research Prolactin: A Novel Neuroendocrine Regulator of Human Keratin Expression In Situ

64 citations , January 2010 in “The FASEB Journal”

This study found that prolactin is a key regulator of keratin expression in human hair follicles, enhancing specific keratin types and influencing epithelial stem cell-associated keratins.

research Mind the Gender Gap: Does Prolactin Exert Gender and Site-Specific Effects on the Human Hair Follicle?

36 citations , November 2009 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This study suggests that prolactin has complex, gender- and location-dependent effects on human hair follicles, promoting hair growth in female frontotemporal scalp areas while inhibiting it in male occipital regions.

Human Scalp Hair Follicles Are Both a Target and a Source of Prolactin, Which Serves as an Autocrine and/or Paracrine Promoter of Apoptosis-Driven Hair Follicle Regression

research Human Scalp Hair Follicles Are Both a Target and a Source of Prolactin, Which Serves as an Autocrine and/or Paracrine Promoter of Apoptosis-Driven Hair Follicle Regression

128 citations , March 2006 in “American Journal of Pathology”

The study found that prolactin expressed in human scalp hair follicles acts as an autocrine modulator, inhibiting hair growth and promoting hair follicle regression, which may contribute to hair loss in hyper-prolactinemia patients.