title: Basic fibroblast growth factor in human pituitary tumours.
abstract: Immunoreactive (ir) basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) has been measured in normal human pituitary glands and in 41 pituitary tumours of various types using a radioimmunoassay. Normal pituitary glands contained ir basic FGF ranging from 29.4 to 355 fmol/mg wet weight whereas 87.5% of pituitary tumours contained amounts of the growth factor which were less than normal. There was no relationship between the type of tumour and the FGF content. Normal and tumorous pituitary FGF had an affinity for heparin which was similar to that of basic FGF. Gel column chromatography revealed that the pituitary ir FGF was present mainly as high molecular weight forms, with only a small proportion as the basic 146 amino-acid peptide. Because of our previous observation that basic FGF inhibits the growth of human pituitary tumour cells, it is suggested that the reduction in basic FGF of many pituitary tumours may favour the stimulation of pituitary growth.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemical Medicine, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Silverlight
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Prysor-Jones
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006493:Heparin; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000032:analysis*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D006493:Heparin