title: Chromatographic characterisation of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in plasma and tissue extracts from hepatoma patients.
abstract: To determine the nature of the neurotensin-like immunoreactivity produced by some cases of primary liver carcinoma, plasma and tumour neurotensin-like immunoreactivities were characterised in patients with neurotensin-producing hepatoma by chromatographic analysis in conjunction with radioimmunoassay with C- and N-terminally directed antisera. Gel filtration revealed that the majority of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity extracted from the tumour was co-eluted with synthetic neurotensin, whereas a substantial amount of the plasma immunoreactive neurotensin emerged at the void volume. Tumour neurotensin-like immunoreactivity showed a degree of heterogeneity on gel filtration and high pressure liquid chromatography that contrasted with neurotensin-like immunoreactivity extracted from ileal mucosa, suggesting a different post-translational processing of neurotensin within tumour tissue. The ratio of neurotensin 1-8 to neurotensin 1-13 in the patients' plasma suggested that neurotensin was metabolised in a manner similar to that in healthy subjects. The clinical and biological significance of the ectopic production of neurotensin in some hepatomas remains unclear.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bacarese-Hamilton
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Blumgart
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bloom
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; C031644:neurotensin-like immunoreactivity; D009496:Neurotensin