title: Further evidence that big,big prolactin is preferentially secreted in women with hyperprolactinemia and normal ovarian function.
abstract: The heterogeneity of human serum prolactin (PRL) in 12 women with hyperprolactinemia and different derangements of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis was studied. The patients were subdivided into three groups: four women with hyperprolactinemia and normal ovarian function (group I), four women with hyperprolactinemia associated with sporadic endometrial bleedings and a positive progestin test (group II), and four women with amenorrhea and a negative progestin test (group III). Gel filtration chromatography of serum samples from patients in group I revealed in three of them that most (80%) of their immunoreactive PRL eluted as big,big PRL (Mr greater than 100,000); whereas the rest of the patients, including those from groups II and III, exhibited a distribution pattern similar to that obtained in normal menstruating women. All PRL species had similar affinities for the antibody, as disclosed by the slopes generated in dose-response curves. These results indicate that ovarian function in hyperprolactinemia might be dependent upon PRL heterogeneity and suggest that big,big PRL may have, under in vivo conditions, a low degree of biologic activity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D005260:Female; D005687:Galactorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010050:Ovarian Function Tests; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011372:Progestins; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins; D011388:Prolactin