# The role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of alpha-lactalbumin and milk production.

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $37,679

## Abstract

Only 25% of women in the United States breastfeed exclusively for six months. Insufficient milk
production is a primary cause of premature breastfeeding cessation. Globally, nearly a million annual deaths of
women and children each year could be prevented if all mothers breastfed for six months. Maternal stress due
to infant hospitalization or traumatic birth predisposes women to poor breastfeeding outcomes. The
glucocorticoid (GC) hormone contributes to the stress response by activating the mineralocorticoid (MR) and
glucocorticoid receptors (GR). When GC secretion is dysregulated, as occurs in obesity, lactation initiation is
disrupted leading to poor breastfeeding outcomes. Moreover, synthetic GCs cause a transient suppression of
milk production. The mechanism by which excessive GCs suppress lactation must be defined so that low milk
supply can be prevented or treated.
 In vitro studies suggest that the biphasic regulation of alpha-lactalbumin (LALBA) synthesis by GCs is
central to the pathophysiology of stress-induced lactation suppression. LALBA is a modifier protein required for
lactose synthesis and milk production. The mouse mammary gland explant model will be used to test the
hypothesis that the MR and GR heterodimerize with the Signal Transducer and Activators of Transcription
(STAT-3 or -5) to regulate Lalba transcription. Aim 1 will define the effect of GC concentration over time on the
expression of Lalba and its candidate transcriptional regulators. Aim 2 will interrogate DNA-protein binding of
MR, GR with phosphorylated STAT3 or STAT5 at the Lalba promoter. The findings from this research will provide
an absent mechanistic insight into the regulation of milk production by GC and stand to serve as the foundation
for the development of guidelines for the prevention, management, or treatment of insufficient milk supply.
The applicant will train in the outstanding environment at UC Davis with Dr. Russ Hovey, a leading
scientist in the hormonal regulation of lactation, and Dr. Caroline Chantry, a founder of the breastfeeding
medicine field and clinical lactation researcher. The proposed research and training program will establish
research expertise in the molecular genomics of the mammary gland, strengthen knowledge of clinical lactation
and breast health, and provide skills in scientific communication and conduct. The overall training plan aligns
with the recent recommendations from the NIH to increase knowledge and research on safe and effective
therapies for lactating women and will prepare the applicant for a career as an independent physician-scientist
in breastfeeding medicine and lactation biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9911953
- **Project number:** 1F30HD101295-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Anna Sadovnikova
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $37,679
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9911953

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9911953, The role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of alpha-lactalbumin and milk production. (1F30HD101295-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9911953. Licensed CC0.

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