title: Expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein in abnormal human parathyroids.
abstract: The expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in abnormal human parathyroids was investigated. Northern blot analysis of RNA extracted from human benign parathyroid adenomata (n = 4) revealed multiple PTHrP mRNA species ranging in size from 1.8 to 4 kb. The relative abundance of PTHrP mRNA expressed in two of the adenomata was similar to that of a tumour (DAF) associated with humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy, whereas PTHrP mRNA was of low abundance in a third and was undetectable in the fourth. PTHrP-like immunoreactivity was detected in extracts of abnormal parathyroid tissue (benign adenoma (n = 7), hyperplasia (n = 5) and parathyroid carcinoma (n = 2] using a sensitive specific two-site immunoradiometric assay for human (h) PTHrP(1-86) and a radioimmunoassay for hPTHrP(1-34). Ratios of hPTHrP(1-86)- and hPTHrP(1-34)-like immunoreactivities relative to hPTH(1-84)-like immunoreactivity in the parathyroid tissue extracts were, on average, less than 1%. PTHrP bioactivity in the extracts could not be distinguished from that of PTH, by an osteosarcoma cell bioassay. We conclude that, despite reports of over-expression of PTHrP mRNA in parathyroid adenomata, the potential contribution of PTHrP to the total PTH-like activity of adenomata and other abnormal parathyroid tissue may be insignificant relative to PTH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Docherty
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Ratcliffe
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Docherty
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010279:Parathyroid Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C470121:PTHLH protein, human; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C068871:parathyroid hormone-related protein (1-86); C054296:parathyroid hormone-related protein (1-34)