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CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN CORTICOTROPHIN‐RELEASING HORMONE AND PRO‐OPIOMELANOCORTIN‐RELATED PEPTIDES IN A THYMIC CARCINOID TUMOUR RESPONSIBLE FOR CUSHING'S SYNDROME
Author(s) -
DEMAY M. C. RAUX,
PROESCHEL M. F.,
KEYZER Y.,
BERTAGNA X.,
LUTON J. P.,
GIRARD F.
Publication year - 1988
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.1365-2265.1988.tb03713.x
Subject(s) - endocrinology , medicine , cushing syndrome , sephadex , corticotropin releasing hormone , hormone , dexamethasone , prohormone , adrenocorticotropic hormone , biology , enzyme , biochemistry
SUMMARY Severe Cushing's syndrome developed in a man of 35 years. Plasma ACTH and lipotrophin hormone levels were supranormal, and dexamethasone failed to stop their production. An ACTH‐producing thymic carcinoid tumour was found to be responsible for the Cushing's syndrome. The tumour tissue contained pro‐opiomelanocortin (POMC)‐mRNA and POMC‐related peptides. In addition, human corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (h‐CRH) (0.25 ng/ mg wet tissue) was identified in the tumour extract. Among a series of extracts from two normal and three tumoral (Nelson's syndrome) pituitary glands, six non‐pituitary POMC‐producing tumours and five normal thymuses examined, only the extract from the thymic tumour of our patient contained h‐CRH. The molecule isolated had the same properties as synthetic h‐CRH (dilution, Sephadex G 50 chromatography). Circulating h‐CRH levels, however, were normal. The possible involvement of such ectopic CRH production in the aetiology of Cushing's syndrome remains uncertain.