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SECRETION OF ACTH, LPH AND β‐ENDORPHIN FROM HUMAN PITUITARY TUMOURS IN VITRO
Author(s) -
GILLIES GLENDA,
RATTER SALLY,
GROSSMAN ASHLEY,
GAILLARD R.,
LOWRY P. J.,
BESSER G. M.,
REES LESLEY H.
Publication year - 1980
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.1365-2265.1980.tb01042.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , secretion , in vitro , acth secretion , beta endorphin , pituitary gland , adrenocorticotropic hormone , endorphins , pituitary hormones , biology , hormone , biochemistry
SUMMARY Basal and stimulated secretion of immunoreactive ACTH, LPH and β‐endorphin from four human pituitary tumours has been studied in vitro using a superfused, isolated cell system. Chromatography of cell secretions under acid‐dissociating conditions demonstrated that the human tumour cells released immunoreactive peptides with the elution profiles of α h (1–39) ACTH, β h ‐LPH, γ h ‐LPH and β h ‐endorphin confirming that β h ‐endorphin is secreted by human pituitary tumour cells and is not formed by enzymic cleavage from β h ‐LPH in blood. No α‐ or β h ‐MSH, nor any higher molecular weight forms of ACTH or LPH were detected. The cells from all four tumours responded to stimulation with rat stalk‐median eminence extract (SME) and synthetic AVP with a concomitant release of ACTH, β‐LPH, γ‐LPH and γ‐endorphin. In contrast to the isolated rat anterior pituitary cells, the pattern of responses to SME and AVP were indistinguishable and the release provoked by rat SME could be accounted for virtually entirely by its vasopressin content. No stimulation of release was observed when the cells were exposed to a variety of biogenic amines. Addition of hydrocortisone to the perfusion buffer of two tumours resulted in a slow inhibition of both basal and stimulated ACTH and LPH release. These data demonstrate that human pituitary tumour tissue from patients with Cushing's disease and Nelson's syndrome can be studied in vitro and that such studies may contribute to a greater understanding of the aetiology of these diseases.