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IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL GROWTH HORMONE AND PROLACTIN IN PITUITARY ADENOMAS CAUSING ACROMEGALY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO BASAL SERUM HORMONE LEVELS AND THE GROWTH RESPONSE TO THYROTROPHIN RELEASING HORMONE
Author(s) -
KRUSEMAN A. C. NIEUWENHUIJZEN,
BOTS G. Th. A. M.,
ROELFSEMA F.,
FRÖLICH M.,
DULKEN H.
Publication year - 1983
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.1365-2265.1983.tb00736.x
Subject(s) - hyperprolactinaemia , prolactin , medicine , endocrinology , acromegaly , prolactin cell , adenoma , prolactinoma , pituitary adenoma , hormone , biology , growth hormone
SUMMARY Basal prolactin levels and the dynamics of growth hormone secretion in response to intravenous TRH in 34 untreated acromegalic patients were compared with immunocytochemical localization of growth hormone and prolactin in the adenoma cells. The serum prolactin level was elevated in 13 patients. All adenomas contained growth hormone detectable by immunocytochemistry. Twelve adenomas contained prolactin as well; of these only six were associated with hyperprolactinaemia. In six patients with a mixed adenoma the serum prolactin levels were in the normal range. In 17 patients the growth hormone value more than doubled after TRH. Eight of these patients had hyperprolactinaemia, and in only six did the adenomas contain immunoreactive prolactin; eight were associated neither with hyperprolactinaemia nor with positive immunostaining for prolactin. Eight adenomas had suprasellar extension, six of these were associated with hyperprolactinaemia. Of the seven adenomas with hyperprolactinaemia but no adenomatous prolactin immunoreactivity, four had supprasellar extension. In three patients hyperprolactinaemia was associated neither with prolactin immunoreactivity in the adenoma cells nor with suprasellar extension of the tumour. It is concluded that in acromegalics (1) there is no relation between hyperprolactinaemia, and the presence of prolactin in the adenoma cells; (2) the hyperprolactinaemia may be due either to adenomatous prolactin secretion or possibly suprasellar mass interference of hypothalamic control of normal prolactin cells; and (3) the presence of hyperprolactinaemia or immunocytochemically defined adenomatous prolactin does not correlate with the reactivity of the adenomatous growth hormone cells to TRH.