Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 70, 62-68, Copyright © 1990 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Presence of growth hormone-releasing hormone-like immunoreactivity in human tumors: characterization of immunological and biological properties

M Losa, G Wolfram, J Mojto, J Schopohl, Y Spiess, R Huber, OA Muller and K von Werder
Medizinische Klinik Innenstadt, University of Munich, West Germany.

The distribution and physical and biological properties of GH-releasing hormone-like immunoreactivity (GHRH-IR) in human tissues and tumors was investigated using a specific GHRH RIA, gel chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, and bioassay with cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. Variable concentrations of GHRH-IR, ranging from 1.4- 39.0 ng/g wet wt, were found in normal liver, lung, placenta, and pancreas. In the latter tissue, however, a different chromatographic profile and a marked decrease in GHRH-IR after immunoaffinity occurred, suggesting that GHRH-IR in pancreatic extracts is not native GHRH. In all tumors examined (n = 35) GHRH-IR could be detected, and four tumors (three carcinoids and one jejunal carcinoma) contained a very high amount of GHRH-IR (greater than 1000 ng/g wet wt). Affinity chromatography of tumor extracts led to a significant loss (greater than 50%) of GHRH-IR in nine tumors. The four tumors containing large amounts of GHRH-IR were obtained from two patients with active acromegaly and two patients who had no clinical evidence of acromegaly. Using antibodies with different specificities for GHRH-(1-44) and GHRH shortened at the C-terminus, varying concentrations of GHRH-(1-44) in these tumors were found, ranging from 10-87% of the total GHRH-IR. The biological activity of GHRH in the four tumor extracts was similar to that of synthetic GHRH alone or GHRH added to control tissue subjected to extraction. These results demonstrate the presence of GHRH-IR in the majority of normal tissues and tumors, which, though they may produce large amounts of biologically active GHRH, do not always lead to acromegaly.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Z. Szereday, A. V. Schally, J. L. Varga, C. A. Kanashiro, F. Hebert, P. Armatis, K. Groot, K. Szepeshazi, G. Halmos, and R. Busto Antagonists of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Inhibit the Proliferation of Experimental Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cancer Res., November 15, 2003; 63(22): 7913 - 7919. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Busto, A. V. Schally, J. L. Varga, M. O. Garcia-Fernandez, K. Groot, P. Armatis, and K. Szepeshazi The expression of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and splice variants of its receptor in human gastroenteropancreatic carcinomas PNAS, September 3, 2002; 99(18): 11866 - 11871. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Beuschlein, C. J. Strasburger, V. Siegerstetter, D. Moradpour, P. Lichter, M. Bidlingmaier, H. E. Blum, and M. Reincke Acromegaly Caused by Secretion of Growth Hormone by a Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma N. Engl. J. Med., June 22, 2000; 342(25): 1871 - 1876. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Kahán, J. M. Arencibia, V. J. Csernus, K. Groot, R. D. Kineman, W. R. Robinson, and A. V. Schally Expression of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH) Messenger Ribonucleic Acid and the Presence of Biologically Active GHRH in Human Breast, Endometrial, and Ovarian Cancers J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 1999; 84(2): 582 - 589. [Abstract] [Full Text]