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Lack of effect of relaxin on oxytocin output from the porcine neural lobe in vitro or in lactating sows in vivo

Summary. Oxytocin was measured in incubates and perifusates of neurosecretosomes prepared from sow neural lobes (n = 50) and in incubates of isolated neural lobes (n = 5). In none of these preparations was oxytocin output affected by exposure to purified porcine relaxin (at concentrations up to 10^–7 mol l^–1). Moreover, in lactating sows (n = 9), 6–10 days post partum, the administration of porcine relaxin 1·5 or 3·0 mg) intravenously, immediately before a suckling episode, did not affect the plasma oxytocin profile compared with saline treatments (within sow) nor did it alter suckling behaviour or the weight gain of the litter. In all sows, a spike (25–75 pg ml^–1) of oxytocin was measured during milk ejection coincident with suckling. These results suggest that porcine relaxin does not affect oxytocin release in suckling sows in contrast to reported findings in rats. The data also support the view that porcine relaxin could be used at farrowing without adverse effects on suckling.

Keywords: oxytocin; relaxin; suckling; neural lobe; pig