A possible role for prolactin in exacerbating atopic dermatitis (AD), especially regarding facial erythema, was investigated. Blood prolactin levels of 6 pregnant women with AD and breast milk prolactin levels of 22 mothers whose infants had AD were measured. Various measures of prolactin receptor function, transduction and activation were measured in 40 skin lesions of AD patients and compared with skin from 8 normal controls. Both blood and breast milk prolactin levels were almost within the normal range. Expression of nuclear staining of prolactin and signal transduction and activation of transcription 5a (STAT5a) were increased in keratinocytes from skin lesions especially from pilosebaceous areas of atopic red face. A prolactin-STAT5a axis may be involved ...