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PROTEIN HORMONES IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID: EVIDENCE FOR RETROGRADE TRANSPORT OF PROLACTIN FROM THE PITUITARY TO THE BRAIN IN MAN
Author(s) -
ASSIES JOHANNA,
SCHELLEKENS ANDRIES P. M.,
TOUBER JAN L.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1978.tb02186.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , cerebrospinal fluid , prolactin , hormone , pituitary gland , human chorionic gonadotropin , gonadotropin , chemistry
SUMMARY Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of two hormones of similar molecular size, pituitary prolactin (PRL) and human chorionic somatomammotropin (hCS), and of the bigger hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) were measured in six pregnant women without pituitary disease. For all three hormones, the plasma and CSF levels were closely correlated. The plasma/CSF concentration ratio for hCG (571 ± 378, mean ± SD) was significantly different ( P < 0.01) from the hCS ratio (24.6 ± 6.1); the hCS ratio was significantly different ( P < 0.005) from the PRL ratio (7.2 ± 1.5). We conclude that (1) the CSF concentration of a protein hormone depends on the plasma concentration and on its molecular size, and (2) pituitary hormones reach the CSF not only via filtration of peripheral blood at the choroid plexuses, but also more directly via retrograde transport from the pituitary to the brain.